Chapter 5 - Questions and Answers
...
Upon leaving the Mirror World, I made a small table for us to sit at.
"E-Emiya-kun, How did you...?" Rin asks, blinking at the table. Miyu whips her head over to Rin as she says me last name. What's up with that?
"I'll answer that if you answer my questions first. Now sit." I say, brokering no argument as I sit down. One by one, both older girls and both younger girls sit down. Illya and Miyu undo their transformations, Illya going back to wearing her casual indoor clothes, whereas Miyu is wearing some casual outdoor clothes. The sticks go into their compact forms (without the stick part) and float next to their contractors.
"How about y'all start by explaining these cards?" I suggest. "I'm aware of the Moonlit World, so don't spare any details."
Rin and Luvia nod, looking serious. "These seven Class Carda showed up not long ago, each containing a portion of a Heroic Spirit's power." The brunette begins to explain.
"An Enforcer took down two of the cards and we were charged by the Wizard Marshal to collect the rest, the remaining five all existing in and around this city." Luvia explains. Probably due to the Grail. I figure it's still there. Then again...
"And I take it Zelretch made you two as well?" I ask the sticks.
"Correct." Sapphire says. "The Great Master created us to assist Rin-sama and Luvia-sama with collecting the cards."
"The only problem is these two can't get along at all!" Ruby whines.
"I know. I saw you idiots fighting above the city last night." I deadpan.
"Wait, that was you two?" Illya asks. Miyu, too, is a bit surprised. The older girls grimace, surprisingly ashamed of themselves.
"And neither of them bothered hiding it, either. I felt you two throwing around that many high-level spells at each other above the city all the way from my bedroom. For fuck's sake, I thought two Casters were fighting out there!" I say, before pausing to groan. I turn to the sticks. "And both of ya have a bit of the Kaleidoscope's power, letting you get those cards... Speaking of, why are they in between dimensions anyway?"
"No idea. They simply appeared one day as distortions." Rin says.
"They're likely from another dimension or something then." I muse, idly noticing Miyu freeze. Curious... "And how did these two get involved? I'm sure the Clock Tower has placed great faith in you two, seeing a show they sent you two and not some more accomplished magi."
"That's..." The Japanese girl grimaces.
"Well..." The Finnish girl grimaces.
"Really? Nothing to say for yourselves?" I deadpan, crossing my arms.
"What do you want me to say?!" Rin shouts. "Those damn sticks ran from us! By the time I found Ruby, she'd already contracted with Illya and wouldn't negate it!"
"And how did THAT happen?" I ask, narrowing my eyes at the stick.
"W-Well, I was flying along, then I saw this really cute girl and decided to visit her." Ruby begins, clearly embellishing the story.
"You flew in the building like a rocket and nearly hit me." Illya deadpans.
"So that's what that bang was..." I muse. Fuck, I shouldn't have just gone to bed. Then again, I trusted Illya wasn't hiding something. Ugh, what a mess.
"Well, I wasn't aiming for you." Ruby waves us off.
"Didn't you say you were surprised that you missed me?" Illya asks.
I flood killing intent right at the red stick, who freezes up like a possum playing dead. She chuckles awkwardly and fearful at my narrowed eyes.
"Rin-san showed up after Ruby tricked me into making a contract." Illya says, causing said stick to wilt further. "Then she said something about... being her slave...?"
Rin freezes as my killing intent hits her too. "I-I-It was just me mi-misspeaking!"
I sigh deeply, letting off on them. "Fine... Fine! But how did you involve another kid in this?" I ask Sapphire calmly, knowing she's more reasonable than her dumbass sister.
"W-Well, after leaving Luvia-sama, I found Miyu-sama here." The blue stick explains, a bit afraid of me after that show. Even Luvia is clearly wary of me. "She wished to help and so I formed a contract with her."
"A consensual contract?" I ask Miyu, who nods.
"Of course. I won't allow myself to be tricked, Onii- er, Emiya-san." Miyu slips up her addressing of me. She's familiar with the cards, which are from a different dimension, and nearly called me Onii-chan? Yeah, she's that's world's Illya or something.
I smile at the small brunette. "You can call me Shirou or Onii-chan if ya want, I'm not one for formalities, Miyu."
Miyu blushes and looks away from me shyly. "Tha-That's... I think I'll just stick with Shirou-san." She stammers.
"San? I told ya, I'm not one for formalites." I say.
"Okay, then. Sh-Shirou." Miyu stammers again.
Illya is looking at the other girl with a variety of emotions. Jealousy and anger mostly.
"And what about you? We've answered your questions." Luvia points out.
"Simple, I'm like 'ol Zelretch, expect I've got the First Magic." I say.
Rin and Luvia's eyes nearly pop out of their heads as they lock up. Ruby and Sapphire are surprised, but recover quickly.
"That makes total sense!" Ruby says, using her wings to replicate hitting a fist on a palm.
"Sh-Shirou-sama... How did you manage to do that...?" The blue stick asks.
"Long story, basically I somehow ended up touching the Root for a second." I admit, casually, causing the two magus' eyes to widen to dinner plates. "No clue how it happened, but that's what happened."
"You say that so casually..." Ruby says, surprised.
"It happened." I shrug. "Though, I trust y'all to not speak about it to anyone."
"Hm? I dunno..." Ruby says, looking away innocently.
"If you tell anyone, I WILL break you over my knee." I growl.
"Okay, okay! I'll keep shut!" She says, making the motion of zipping her mouth shut.
"Oh?" Rin says, regaining her thought processes. "And why shouldn't we say anything?"
"Why shouldn't I say anything about you being so incompetent that you lost the Kaleidosticks and got two unrelated girls involved in this mess." I shoot back, causing Rin to avert her gaze. I sigh, rubbing my temples.
"But... How have we not heard of something like this?" Luvia asks. "You would think that another Magician existing would be well-known."
"Because I'm not an idiot. As soon as I figured out I can use magic based on imagination, I put knowledge of other magic users and the Moonlit World in my head. Upon seeing the absolute pieces of shit that are the best magi, I knew that I needed to be strong enough so that they wouldn't dare to fuck with me." I explain. "Look at Zelretch. The guy could kill or absolutely ruin the life of someone if they fucked with him and do so easily. He's strong enough that magi KNOW not to fuck with him. I'm going that same route."
Luvia and Rin just stare at me, bewildered but understanding.
"I'm confused." Illya chimes in. "Why're your making this out to be a big deal? Can't Rin-san and Luvia-san use magic?"
"No, they were using magecraft." I explain. "That's basically doing something that can be done with science, but using magic to do it instead. For instance, you can make a fire with sticks and rocks, or just a lighter, that can also be done via magecraft. Magic is stuff that's impossible to do normally. It breaks all kinds of rules and shit."
Illya nods, understanding. "Ah. So that means you're using magic, not magecraft?"
"Correct. Specifically, the First one." I explain. "It was more common when Gods and stuff were around, but now there's just five True Magics left. Zelretch, the guy that made those two sticks, uses the Second Magic, Kaleidoscope, which has to do with dimensions and parallel worlds. They've got a small bit of his power, which they use to come to that Mirror World we were just in." I explain.
"So what can these five magics do?" Illya asks, curious.
"The Second one I've explained, the Third one has to do with the soul and shit, the Fourth is mostly unknown, and the Fifth is too hard to explain. Lets just say that what the Fifth can do causes energy to be expelled as time travel, or something along those lines." I explain, doing the best I can. The Fifth Magic is just too damn confusing. "The First Magic, Denial of Nothingness, basically allows me to use imagination and True Ether to do whatever I want."
"Such as making tables." Miyu realizes.
"Or anything, really." I smile and shrug at Miyu's comment.
"Is that how you got into the Mirror World?" Sapphire asks.
I nod. "I simply opened a portal to here. Or rather, imagined one."
"Hang on a second, how did you even know we were here?" Ruby asks.
"I followed Illya." I reveal, causing my sister to blink.
"I see. Then I have a proposition for you, Mr. Emiya." Luvia says, causing me to raise an eyebrow.
"And what might that be?" I ask, crossing my arms.
"Assist me in collecting the cards and I will grant you a boon, worthy of the Edelfelt name." Luvia pridefully says.
"Hey!" Rin shouts, standing and slamming her hands on the table. "You can't just go and do that!"
"And why not? It's not like Mr. Emiya would ever ally with a gorilla like you." The blonde retorts.
Then, Rin punches the other girl again. I can only watch, feeling very exhausted as they tussle on the ground. The pair of younger girls and sticks all watch, equally as deadpan as I.
I groan, noticing Rin about to grab one of the chairs. "Enough, you two." I growl, causing them to stop. "Seeing as how you two CAN'T handle this and have to resort to getting little girls to do your work, I'll get the cards by myself. You two can just go back to London, I'll send them over after."
""HELL NO!"" Both magi shout, standing up.
"And why not? 'Cause they'll find you you fucked up?" I ask, causing them to wince. "I can handle this myself. None of you have to get involved."
"No." I turn to the quiet voice to see Miyu, her golden eyes looking at me with pure conviction. "I MUST collect the cards. It's something I HAVE to do, myself."
Everyone blinks at Miyu's seriousness.
"...You're determined about this." I observe. "Fine, if you're that serious. I won't stop you... not that I can, with that fire in your eyes." I turn to Illya. "But you can go back home."
"No! I want to get these cards too!" Illya whines, sounding more like a twelve-year old than I've heard her sound in a while.
"Why?" I ask, completely confused. "Why could you possibly want to do this, Illya? You said it yourself, you were tricked into this. So why? What's the point?"
"Well..." Illya begins, a bit shy. "I suppose I kinda wanted to do this. Isn't this situation like something out of an anime or game?"
"...Game?" I hear Miyu mutter with a dangerous amount of calm.
Illya hears her. "Well, yeah. Like how we could use magic to fight, or how the enemies are in a weird dimension. It seems like a joke, but it's a bit exciting. I figure that since I've got the chance, I should enjoy this card collecting game-"
"Illya." I cut her off.
"Huh?" Illya blinks, before recoiling a bit at the sight of my serious face. Miyu is restraining her anger the best she can.
"This ain't a game, nothing to do with this godforsaken Moonlit World is enjoyable in the slightest." I say, losing all playfulness in my voice. I notice the two magi and Miyu blink in surprise by my sudden change. "This hidden society is a horrid place filled with monsters in human skin more vile than you can imagine. After learning about this shit, the one thing- ONE THING- that I never wanted to happen was to get you involved in it."
Illya blinks again, confused at my admission. Though it also touches her, given her blush.
"And yet all that has gone to waste, simply because I didn't press the issue over that bang while you were in the bath last night." I say, eyeing Ruby again, who wilts at my words. "Ruby might've been giving you a shield, but you were up against a Servant, beings whose powers are above humans, even in their weakened state as they are in the Cards. You could've died a dozen different ways tonight. Maybe more, had I not jumped in and ended it."
I hate seeing Illya's fearful face, but she NEEDS to know this.
I reach over and pat her on the head. "This side of the world is dangerous, even for me. Don't underestimate it or treat it as a game." I say, looking her dead in the eyes. "I'm... sorry I've gotten you caught up in this."
"Onii-chan... Don't... Don't apologize..." My girlfriend says, a bit sad.
I sigh, letting go of her head. "Fine. Then we can do this... I'll train Miyu and you both. If you don't want to collect the cards at any time, Miyu and I will handle it. But I am NOT gonna go easy on you."
"R-Really?" Illya winces.
I smile. "It's because I care for ya so much and don't want you to get hurt that I'm gonna train you as hard as possible. If you quit, no harm done."
Illya solemnly nods. "A-Alright..." It's clear my words have shaken her.
I look back at everyone else. "We'll worry about this tomorrow. It's late, let's all get some rest, yeah?"
Everyone went their separate ways right after. I carried Illya like a princess through a portal right into my room, Ruby tagging along behind us.
I sit Illya down on her feet, before she sits down on my bed. "Sorry 'bout that talk, Illya. I had to make sure you knew how serious this was." I say.
"Well... you WERE a bit scary there for a second, but I get it." My sister nods. "I'll take this seriously from now on, Onii-chan."
I smile. "Good. Now c'mon, let's get some sleep."
"Oh?" Ruby says. I can practically hear the teasing grin in her voice. "A brother and a sister about to sleep together in the same bed? How scandalous!"
I quickly snatch Ruby with one hand. "No one will find your body."
Ruby stiffens in my hand. "I'll be good!"
"Good." I nod, letting her go. Ruby sighs in relief as I smirk at the stick. Illya, on the bed, just shakes her head at us.
Looking to my short drawer by my bed, I decide to do something nice. "Well, since you'll be hanging around for the time being... here." I say, holding my hand out as a small bed appears on the drawer.
Ruby gasps, before rushing over and hugging my head with her wings. "I knew you weren't a bad guy, Shirou-san!" She squeals, before rushing over and slipping into her small bed.
Illya and I lay down as well, snuggling on our sides together- Illya being the small spoon.
"Hey, Illya."
"Yeah?"
"Sorry about not tellin' you about my magic and stuff."
"It's fine. I understand."
"Thanks."
"If anything, it just makes you even cooler, Onii-chan."
"Heh... Sweet dreams, Illya."
"Sweet dreams, Onii-chan."
The next day brought another normal morning, although I'd used magic to help Illya and I get a better rest so neither of us woke up sleepy. Ruby once again hitched a ride to school in my sister's backpack.
After quickly expanding my senses, I couldn't find anymore Card-induced distortions, thus I figured the day would go normally- at least until this evening when I'll being to train the two girls. Those hopes were dashed in the first class of the day.
"It's a bit sudden, but we'll be having two students join us today." The teacher- a man whose name I can never bother to remember- says. I raise an eyebrow at his words. "One of them is returning to the country after studying abroad, but both are remaining here for the duration of the year." He beckons them in and...
Oh, fuck no.
I tune out Rin and Luvia introducing themselves to the class, as well as some of the others making a big deal out of this.
...I should've trained in the pocket dimension and sent a clone to deal with this shit.
At lunch, I ended up getting roped into showing the two of them around school. Issei immediately distrusted Rin, just like in Stay Night. Sakura- to my surprise- was calm around Rin, even going so far as to throw a few snide remarks her way. I'm sure Luvia already likes the purplette.
Neither of the transfers brought up magic or anything else, thankfully. Aside from their sudden appearance, the rest of the school day went about as normal as you'd expect.
After school, I ran into Illya and Miyu walking together from school. Seems the other girl followed Illya this way. I'm a bit surprised that Miyu's going to school with Illya, seeing as how they're both wearing the Homurahara winter uniform.
"Onii-chan!" Illya shouts, running up to me.
"Hey." I smile as Illya stops in front of me, Miyu catching up a moment later. "How was y'all's day?"
"Crazy! Miyu-san is way too good at, well... everything!" Illya cries.
"Everything?" I ask, curious.
"Apparently, she used some advanced stuff to solve a math problem." Illya begins.
"I simply derived using integrals and formulas." Miyu argues.
"There's nothing simple about high school level math." I deadpan.
"High school level...?" Miyu asks, tiling her head a bit. Goodness, that's cute.
"Then we drew for a bit and Miyu made some crazy thing that looked like it was straight out of an art gallery!" Illya continues.
"It was nothing that special, just simple cubism." Miyu argues.
"Again, that's some high school level stuff." I point out.
"Then she made an entire meal during cooking class!" My sister adds. "And she only used one pan! Taiga-sensei was in a trance after eating it!"
"It was nothing special." The brunette deflects.
"Huh? It looked like it was from a five-star restaurant!" Illya argues, before turning back to me. "Then, she beat me in a race!"
"Oh? Now THAT'S impressive, seeing as I know how fast you are, Illya." I say, causing Miyu to shyly look away. Illya looks super jealous right now. "Still, sounds a lot more fun than my day."
"Oh?" Miyu asks.
"Rin and Luvia showed up in my class." I deadpan.
"Ehh?!" Illya exclaims. "Seriously?"
I nod. "It was kinda annoying how everyone was all over them."
The albino girl awkwardly laughs. "It was kinda like that with Miyu too. Everyone kept wanting to hang out with her, but she turned them all down."
"Really? Why?" I ask the brunette.
"I simply have other things to do." Miyu says.
"But they just wanted to be friends with you." Illya says.
"Do I need friends...?"
"..."
"..."
Illya and I stare at Miyu, dumbfounded by what she just said. Miyu cutely tilts her head in confusion. It's a bit hypocritical coming from me, since I didn't have any friends in elementary or most of middle school in this life, but still...
"I... guess not..." I say, slowly. "But it's certainly better than being lonely. I know how that feels."
Illya jumps in, leaning over to Miyu and whispering, "Onii-chan didn't have any friends until high school. He likes spending time with me, but I really had to try to get him to make some friends."
I'll pretend I didn't hear that.
"I can't force ya to make friends, but... keep an open mind, would ya?" I ask.
Miyu nods, clearly still unsure. "I'll... try, Shirou."
Illya smiles, happy for the other girl, but I can still see that jealousy in her eyes.
After our talk, the three of us walked back towards Illya and I's home.
"You said you were going to train us, right?" Miyu asks.
I nod. "Once home, get changed and we can start. We'll run inside to change and be back, then we can meet ya over by your house."
"Actually, my house is nearby." Miyu says.
"Aren't we near our home?" Illya asks.
"Yeah." I realize. "It's a good thing. We won't have to go too far to get each other if need be. I'm sure Rin and Luvia don't have phones we can call."
"Hm? But shouldn't they have cell phones at least?" Illya asks, not knowing a damn thing about magi.
"Magi and technology are like oil and water, Illya." I lecture. "I'm sure explaining the internet to them would break their minds."
Illya giggles as Miyu smiles. "That'd be funny to see." My sister says.
"It oughta be." I smile back. As we near our house, I pause, feeling something amiss.
Turning my head, I see a weird mansion.
Now, you might be asking, 'how is a mansion weird?'. Well, that's simple.
It's right in front of my house.
It wasn't there this morning.
There's a gate and everything.
WHAT THE FUCK?!
"Wha-?! I-It's huge! What's with this mansion?! Was there always something like this in front of our house?!" Illya shouts, shocked.
"Of course not!" I shout back. "They probably started building it this morning. No idea how they added the trees and natural landscaping either."
"Ah, this is it." Miyu says, walking over to the mansion's gate.
"What is it?" Illya asks.
"My house." Miyu reveals.
""Eh?"" My sister and I ask.
"Well... This makes things even easier, then." I say, still surprised by this double-whammy of new info. "Let's all get changed, then we can train."
A few minutes later, Illya and Miyu come back outside in casual clothes. I didn't change like they did, instead simply teleporting my clothes off, and teleporting new ones on. Magic is super useful.
"Alright!" I say, clapping my hands. "First things first..." I then open a portal. "We're gonna be training in here."
"Eh? What is that...?" Illya asks, inspecting the thing.
"Portal to a pocket dimension. We'll be able to train without any complications." I explain. "You brought Ruby and Sapphire, yeah?"
"Yup, yup!" Ruby chirps, popping out from Illya's hair.
"We are here, Shirou-sama." Sapphire says, popping out from Miyu's hair.
"Good, now get in." I say, motioning for them to go in first.
Illya goes toward the portal, cautiously looking inside. Miyu sighs, pushing her in. "WHA?!" Miyu goes inside after, the corners of her lips raised slightly.
Sighing, I follow them inside, closing the portal behind me.
"Whoa...!" Illya gasps, looking all around the space in awe. Miyu's eyes widen slightly, her mouth hanging slightly open. Seems they both like it.
My pocket dimension is simple in its design. The floor has massive tiles along its surface, resembling the Cell Games arena from Dragon Ball, except on a MUCH larger scale, stretching as far as the eye can see. The sky, on the other hand, is greenish with a 'sun' in the distance, resembling the loading screen from Assassin's Creed IV. I always liked that game's loading screen, it wasn't blaringly bright like the previous games' were, nor dark like Revelations' was.
"Welcome to our little hideout." I grin.
"You can even make something like this, Onii-chan?" The albino girl asks me, clearly impressed.
"I can make ANYTHING." I stress. "I'm only limited by imagination."
"Wow...!" Illya says, looking around in wonder once again.
"Moving on, this is where I'm gonna be kicking your asses for the next few hours."
""Eh?"" Both small girls look over to me in surprise.
I merely grin. "Transform, you two."
Illya fidgets nervously, looking around. "Erm, is there anywhere I can hide myself?"
"Why...?" I ask.
"Because it's embarrassing." Illya admits.
Miyu rolls her eyes, transforming with a flash of blue light. Illya blinks at her, before whirling around and grabbing Ruby. "Why was her transformation so fast?!"
"Ah, that's because Sapphire-chan skipped the extra parts." Ruby says, casually.
"Extra parts?! You mean I DON'T have to be naked to transform?!" Illya shouts, shaking the red stick angrily, her face red.
"Wha-a-a-a-a-a!" The red stick shouts, being shaken violently.
With a flash of red, Illya transforms instantly as well. She looks down at herself and sighs in relief. "Thank goodness..."
I smile, shaking my head at their antics. "Alright. What can you sticks do anyway?"
"We provide our Masters with a magical barrier able of blocking attacks ranked A or below." Sapphire explains. Oh? Not bad. "We also increase their stats by either multiple letter grades, adding pluses, or a combination of the two."
For the record, Servants have parameters: Strength, Endurance, Agility, Mana- or Magical Power-, Luck, and Noble Phantasm. Each rank signifies a number: One would be normal, E is ten, and every letter to A adds ten- A being fifty. Pluses double, triple, or quadruple the stat's number, depending on the number of pluses- max being three.
An example being E-plus-plus-plus (10 x 4) being equal to a B- both forty. A-plus-plus-plus, being the highest, is two hundred (50 x 4).
Above the five letter ranks is EX, which roughly means incalculable. Although, it depends on what is being ranked.
"Plus, we also draw a LOT of mana via the Kaleidoscope, which can be used for offense!" Ruby adds.
Quickly scanning Illya, I notice she's gotten some increases in Parameters, mostly in Mana. Ruby's also giving her Infinite Mana Supply C. Only rank C? There's also Magic Resistance A, like Sapphire said. But... has she always had Child of Nature B? Must be due to being a half-homunculus.
Looking at Miyu, she's also got Magic Resistance A, but Infinite Mana Supply is B. Makes sense, her circuits are open. I guess Illya was made to be a Lesser Grail otherwise she'd have an E or something. She's also got Maiden's Willpower B. She IS determined to get these cards, but what's up with Wish of the Child of God EX? The fuck is that?! And it's a goddamn EX?!
"So, good offense and defense." I say, hiding my confusion. "What's the limitations on the offense?"
"It works similarly to your magic, Shirou-sama." The blue one explains.
"Yup, yup! A magical girl is only limited by her imagination!" The red one adds.
"Good to know." I say, before creating a crash test dummy off to the side. "Illya, try firing off some magic at this thing."
"Eh? Okay." Illya nods.
"It'll be easy, Illya-san! Just imagine throwing some magic at it, in any shape or form you wish!" Ruby says.
"O-Okay." Ilya says, unsure, as she holds up Ruby and swings her down. My eyes widen as she shoots off an impressive amount of pinkish prana in the shape of a vertical arc. It flies towards the dummy, before slicing it clean in half. Three pairs of eyes widen at that, the wave of energy fizzling out afterwards.
"Nice one, Illya-san!" Ruby cheers. "You made a blade so easily!"
"Ehehe, thanks." Illya says, a touch embarrassed.
"Okay." I say, fixing the dummy. "Your turn, Miyu. Fire off something."
The brunette nods, holding Sapphire out in front. Magic circles appear in front, before a big, blue blast of energy fires off. It slams into the dummy, exploding upon impact, sending bits of it flying all around.
"Excellent, Miyu-sama." Sapphire praises.
"That was... a lot less mana than Illya threw out." I observe.
"I guess Illya-san just has more reserves than Miyu-san does." Ruby pridefully says, held by Illya. "In fact she has... What the heck is this?"
"Eh?" Illya asks.
"What is it, Nee-san?" Sapphire asks.
"Most of Illya's body has magic circuits running through it." Ruby says. Miyu blinks in surprise at that.
"Is that not normal?" My sister asks.
"No. On average, a magus should have around twenty magic circuits throughout their body, spread around like nerves." Sapphire explains. "How many does Illya-sama have?"
"Uh, a lot. I'd say around seventy percent of her is magic circuits. And they're closed too." Ruby says, causing her sister to freeze. Miyu's eyes widen even further. I see, so Illya's body was augmented in this world too. Definitely before she was born, but I wonder if anything was done after?
"Erm, what does that mean?" Illya innocently asks.
"It means you're a cut above other magi and have a LOT more prana to work with." I explain. "Miyu seems to know what she's doing more than you, but you have more reserves to work with. It's the classic trope of quality versus quantity. Next, we need to check on your mobility. Offense and defense are good, but you need to know how to DODGE more than anything."
"Dodge?" Illya asks, concerned.
I nod. "First, you both need to use that imagination of yours. If your powers are powered by it like mine, then you both oughta be able to break physics and other so-called unbreakable laws. So, why don'tcha both try to fly?"
My suspension of disbelief is broken by Miyu. The small brunette looks me dead in the eye and unflinchingly says, "People can't fly."
"Oh?" I ask, smugly. "Then explain that."
Miyu follows my gaze, before blinking at Illya floating in the air next to her.
"Great job, Illya-san!" Ruby praises.
"Eh? How is this great? Isn't it normal for magical girls to fly?" Illya asks.
"...Bwahahaha! You're absolutely right!" The red stick laughs uproariously after a moment of surprise. "Illya-san completely ignores all logic! Hollow pumpkins make the best magical girls."
"What the heck is that supposed to mean?!" Illya shouts at Ruby.
Heh, leave it to Illya to give simple solutions to complex problems... I turn to Miyu. "Now you."
"People can't fly." Miyu repeats, unfazed.
"But Illya-sama is flying." Sapphire points out. Miyu looks at the other girl, unsure.
I sigh. "If you're havin' trouble imagining it, how about using magic platforms."
"Platforms?" Miyu asks.
I nod. "Hop from one to the other. Maybe even add some power to them so they can be used like springboards or trampolines. Lemme show you." I say, jumping up and landing on a solid construct. Quickly, I jump again, before slamming my feet down on the platform, which launches me high. In the air, I made a few more platforms that I use to kick off of, similarly to Dante's Sky Star from Devil May Cry. After hopping around, I come back to the ground. "Like that." I say to Miyu.
Miyu nods, absorbing the info. She hops up, making nearly clear blue platforms under her. She makes a few more, moving back and forth between them, getting a feel for it. She soon stops, before looking at Illya floating right next to her.
I smile at their progress. "Good job. Now then, let's begin dodging training."
Later, Illya gets into the bath with a heavy sigh.
Ruby chuckles, floating next to her. "Shirou-san really pushed you two hard, huh?"
The young girl sighs. "He kept throwing magic at us and yelling 'DODGE'."
"Well you can't deny the results." Ruby points out. "You both became much more agile by the minute. The card's spirits won't know what hit 'em if we keep this up."
"I suppose." The half-German smiles as she leans back into the bath. "It was kinda fun working together with Miyu-san."
"I'm surprised you say that after throwing those jealous looks at her everytime she nearly called Shirou-san 'Onii-chan'." Ruby teases.
"I did not!" Illya protests, causing the Kaleidostick to laugh.
"Oh-ho? Was I right on the mark the other night?" Ruby asks, deviously. "Do you really like your brother that way?"
Illya just averts her gaze, blushing hard.
"Hmmmmm?" Ruby presses, closing in on the girl.
"Ahh! Fine!" Illya finally gives up. "But don't tell anyone! ANYONE!" She demands, pointing at the stick with a dangerous look.
"My lips are sealed, Illya-san." Ruby says, making a motion of closing a mouth with a zipper.
"Onii-chan and I are... dating." The albino girl admits.
"...Ehhh?! Really?!" Ruby asks, frantic, before awkwardly adding, "Geez, I was kinda joking about that before..."
"I-I know it isn't a normal thing, but the both of us ended up having feelings for one another..." Illya admits. "Plu-Plus, he was adopted into our family, so it isn't like we're directly related or anything."
"I suppose..." Ruby muses, her voice turning sly. "Though, how close are you two, really?"
"Wha-What do you mean?" Illya asks, quickly.
"Have you two slept together? Wait, no, you both slept together last night... Then have you bathed together? Kissed each other?!" Ruby asks, getting right in Illya's face, her voice becoming more and more excited with each question.
"Y-Yes..."
"To which?!" Ruby asks.
"Both of them..."
"Whoa! I didn't expect you to be so bold, Illya-san." Ruby backs off, hiding her 'face' with her wing.
"That last one isn't my fault! Onii-chan kissed me suddenly when we confessed!" The girl argues her face crimson, eliciting laughter from the stick as she lowers herself into the water. She looks away from the stick, submerging her mouth as well, her face a burning crimson, and not from the warm water.
The next day, Wednesday, was ordinary as well. I opted to take a stroll after school, and when I came back, I found Sella in the kicthen.
"Cooking already?" I ask.
"Ah, no. This is for Illya-san and Miyu-san." The dutiful homunculus explains.
"Eh? Miyu came over?" I blink. I'm surprised by that.
"Yes, she and Illya-san are upstairs in her room." Sella explains, before we both pause, hearing a feminine squeal. That wasn't Illya...
"Was anything weird happening with them?" I ask.
"Well, Illya-san was excited about Miyu-san coming over. When she arrived, she was wearing a maid uniform." Sella explains.
"Right. I almost forgot Illya likes maids." I remember her interest.
"She does?" Sella blinks.
I nod and sigh, before walking away. "I'll check on 'em."
I quickly walk upstairs, easily reaching my girlfriend's room. I open the door, "Hey, are you two alr-URK?!" I let out a choking sound from seeing what's going on inside.
Miyu is definitely wearing a maid's uniform, a French one to be precise, her hair done in a cute ponytail. Illya, clad in only her panties and her face a bright red, is on top of her, fingers intertwined with the other girl's. Miyu blushes hard and averts her gaze from me, more scared than embarrassed. Illya blinks at my arrival. Ruby and Sapphire, both to the side, look at me as well.
I simply sigh. "Next time you wanna fuck, lock the door."
I hear the two girls' embarrassed shouts as I shut the door behind me, bringing a smile to my face. Shaking my head, I go to my room.
"I am so sorry about that, Miyu-san!" Illya cries, shirt on once again, but still devoid of anything underneath save for panties.
"I-It's fine, Illyasviel." Miyu says, face still a little red.
The albino sighs. "Honestly, I can't believe Onii-chan thought we were doing that. He knows the only person I like is hi-EEP!" She squeals, covering her mouth mid-sentence.
Miyu's golden eyes blink. "You like your brother?"
"I..." Illya begins, before sighing. "Can you two keep a secret?"
Miyu and Sapphire, floating next to her master, look at each other before nodding at Illya.
"Onii-chan and I are actually... dating." The half-German admits.
Miyu's eyes widen as Sapphire freezes. "You and Shirou-sama...?"
"Bwahaha!" Ruby laughs. "You look ridiculous, Sapphire-chan!"
"You looked the same way when I told YOU, Ruby." Illya deadpans at the red stick.
"I... see..." The brunette says.
"Onii-chan and I had crushes on each other, but were too scared to tell each other, but one day... we did." Illya explains, smiling at the memory. "And I don't regret it."
Miyu's mind races, unknown to the other girl.
'Illyasviel and Shirou are together...? Could I... and Onii-san have...?"
A few minutes later, I hear the two of them squeal again when Illya's friends suddenly come over to visit. I don't hold back my smile at the sound.
A bit later, after everything had calmed down, I went downstairs to see yet another strange sight. Miyu looks at it in confusion. Illya just deadpans at it. Tatsuko looks at it with starry eyes. Mimi also looks confused, mouth slightly agape. Suzuka's glasses have fogged over, and Nanaki is taking pictures of it. What are they looking at, you may ask?
It's Sella.
In that ridiculous Einzbern maid uniform.
Including the mushroom hat.
God, help me.
"W-Who is she? A maid? Is this what a German maid looks like?" Tatsuko asks, excitedly as usual.
"So today is Maid Day?" Nanaki asks jokingly.
"What sort of system is that?" Mimi asks.
"Please take care on your way home." Sella bows to Illya's school friends as they all leave, save for Miyu.
"Sella, what the hell are you wearing?" I ask.
"This is the traditional maid uniform of the Einzbern family!" Sella announces proudly.
"It's our old uniforms from Germany." Liz adds, popping her head into the room, also dressed as a maid. If it weren't for her muted expression, I wouldn't be able to tell them apart.
"It looks dumb." I deadpan.
"It is not dumb!" Sella shouts.
"It's way too formal. Not cute at all." Illya says, awkwardly. "You should wear something more frilly!"
"There is no need for that!" Sella argues.
"At least take the hat off, you look like a damn mushroom." I point out.
"I do not!" Sella argues.
"You do."
"Huh?!" Sella asks, whipping around to face her sister.
"You do look like a mushroom." Liz says casually.
"Now that you mention it..." Illya muses.
"Not you too, Illya-san..." Sella bemoans.
I just chuckle at the girls' antics. "Anyway, you leaving, Miyu?" I ask. The aforementioned girl blushes, whether from the attention or me dropping the honorific, I don't know. Regardless, she nods in affirmative. "Then I'll walk ya home." She blinks.
"That's a pretty gentlemanly thing to do, Onii-chan." Illya observes.
I smirk. "What? Thinkin' of me dressed as a butler now?"
Illya's face reddens, her mind likely racing. "...Maybe." She admits.
"Heh. Maybe for your birthday." I tease, causing her to look a bit hopeful. I look to Miyu and nod my head toward the door, she gets the message and opens the door. "I'll be back in a bit." I say, walking towards the door and quickly slipping on some shoes. I close the door behind Miyu and myself, and we walk outside.
As we walk towards the gate, I speak, "So... You doin' alright?"
"Hm? Why wouldn't I be?" The girl asks.
"Y'know, all this stuff with the cards. It seems like a serious thing to you." I say, feeling the need to clarify.
"Mm. I'm okay." She says with a nod.
"That's good." I say.
"Sapphire." Miyu says.
"Yes, Miyu-sama?" Sapphire asks, popping out from the girl's hair.
"Go on ahead. I want to ask Shirou something." Miyu says. Sapphire nods quietly before flying through the gates and back to the mansion.
"Are..." I look down at her as she pauses herself. "Are you and Illyasviel... really... you know...?" She asks, unable to meet my gaze. Ah, did Illya tell her?
"Dating?" I ask.
"Yes."
"Yeah, we are." Miyu blinks at my casual admission, her face reddening a bit. "We just... ended up getting crushes on each other and after a simple conversation we had a while back... we ended up confessing to each other."
"I see." Miyu says, looking a bit upset and... perhaps hopeful?
"I don't regret it though." She looks back up at me. "I've never been happier than I have with Illya as my girlfriend." I say, smiling a bit.
The small girl's golden eyes widen a bit at that.
"But, uh, can I ask you a question too?" I ask, a bit hesitantly. "You don't have to answer if you want."
She blinks. "Go ahead."
"Why did you recognize me?" I ask.
Her eyes widen a bit in realization, but only for a split second. "I-I don't know what you're talking about."
"When we met the other day, your eyes widened in recognition." I point out, causing her to look away. "It coulda been coincidence, but it happened again when I said my name." She jolts. "Seeing as how I know about the Second Magic and all, I just wanna know if you knew another Shirou Emiya."
Miyu remains silent. After a while, she inhales and exhales slowly, shutting her eyes for a moment. "Yes... I was... adopted by a man who had already adopted a boy, older than myself. You may act differently and have abilities he didn't, but..."
"It was hard seeing someone you haven't in a while, even if they weren't the one you knew."
She nods at my words. "He... Onii-san saved me... Bad people wanted to use me... The same one who made these Cards..." She admits, her voice cracking. I don't really care about the cards, but hearing that someone tried to use her pisses me off. "He saved me and used the Grail to send me somewhere I'd be happy..." My fists clench... A Holy Grail War... Dammit, she had to live through something like that?
"...But you're not as happy as you'd be if he came with."
She nods silently, her eyes moistening a bit.
I hum in thought, before smiling. "I suppose that's Shirou Emiya for ya, he goes through hell to protect those he cares for." I look down at her. "Is it weird to say that I kinda want to meet your world's Shirou?"
Miyu smiles, letting out a small huff.
"Maybe I can find a way back to that world." As soon as I say that, Miyu whips around to face me, almost afraid. What's gone on in her world to make her that afraid of going back? Was the Grail War that bad, or is it something else...? "Oh don't give me that look. I know it'd be dangerous, but you deserve to be happy." Her eyes widen, before she smiles a slightly sad smile. I reach over and put my hand on her shoulder. "Look, Miyu, if you're ever having a moment where you're feeling lonely, feel free to call me Onii-chan. I don't mind."
Miyu's eyes widen, eyes watering more...
pomf
...before she hugs me tightly. "Th-Thank you, Onii-chan..." She says as I feel my shirt get wet. I just reach down and rub her head softly.
"You're welcome, Miyu." I say, smiling happily.
After calming down, Miyu walks back to the mansion, looking brighter than she did before. I may not be her brother, the one she's known and cares for so deeply, but I'll be here for her. She shouldn't have to go through bad shit, no one should.
I've always wanted to keep an eye out for Illya, but... I think I want that list to include Miyu as well. I want to see her happy just as much as I do for Illya.
The next day, Sella and Liz went out for something after I got back from school. Illya's friends needed help with something, so she ended up being busy with that.
I, for one, decided to take a break, opting to relax on the couch a bit instead of doing anything strenuous. I just relax and switch on the tv. A bit later, my relaxation was interrupted by the door being knocked. Reaching out my senses, I sense Miyu at the door. I wonder what she wants? I call out, "Come on in, Miyu!", not bothering to get up.
The front door opens. After taking a moment to take off her shoes, Miyu rounds the corner into the living room.
"Yo." I greet, lazily raising my hand.
"Hello, Shirou." She greets. "Is it just you here?"
I nod. "Sella and Liz are out, and Illya's helping her friends with something."
Miyu makes a small smile. "Yes, she said something about that earlier."
"Sapphire not with ya?" I ask.
"No, she decided to stay home." She explains.
I hum in response. "So why'd you come over?"
"Luvia-san went out and I... was feeling a bit bored." She admits, a bit embarrassed.
"Well-" I say, patting the couch seat next to me. "-, feel free to plop down for a while. I've just been watching some tv for a while."
"Ah. Okay." She blinks, slightly surprised by the offer, before nodding and sitting down next to me. She sits down very politely. Is it because of that maid thing she's doing for Luvia, or something else? Putting that aside, I go back to watching tv, Miyu also seeming interested.
"Say, Shirou?" Miyu says, breaking the silence after a few minutes.
"Yeah?" I ask, looking over at her without turning my head.
"I... Could you... Lay your head on my lap...?" She asks shyly.
I pause before turning and facing her. "Dare I ask why...?" I ask slowly. I mean, I won't turn down laying my head on a cute girl's lap, especially when she's wearing a skirt.
Miyu looks away, the words not coming to her. I just shrug, before tilting my torso to the side, resting my head on her lap. Her thighs are incredibly soft, just like Illya's. I'll just say it's a girl thing.
My thoughts pause as Miyu begins to run her hands through my hair.
"My... Onii-san always used to play with my hair... I wanted to do the same to him, but..." She never got the chance to.
"You coulda just asked, dummy." I jokingly chide, letting out a small chuckle.
Soon, I find myself more relaxed than before, laying my head on Miyu's lap as she plays with my hair. Come to think of it, I've never done this with Illya. I wonder if her lap would be softer or not, perhaps it would be the same.
"I'm home!" Speaking of Illya, her voice shouts out as I hear the door open.
"Yo, Illya!" I shout with far less energy than I expected. Miyu jolts, stopping touching my hair as I yell. I can practically hear Miyu desperately hoping to get my head off her lap.
Illya enters the living room. Stops and looks at us calmly.
"Heeyyyyy..." I greet lazily.
"WHA?!" Illya shrieks, her mind catching up with her as her eyes widen and her face reddens. She holds her hands up to her face in shock. "O-O-Onii-chan?! Y-You...! Miyu-sa-san...!"
"W-Wait, Illyasviel!" Miyu shouts, holding her hands over my head in a placating manner. "I-It's not what it looks like!" Why does this suddenly feel like Illya's walked in on me cheating on her.
"Then what is it?!" Illya shouts, pointing at me.
"Miyu always wanted to play with her brother's hair, so I decided to humor her." I explain.
"Eh?" Illya blinks cutely. "Really?"
"Y-Yes..." Miyu admits. "My brother used to play with my hair and Shirou reminds me of him, so..."
"Ah, so that's how it is..." Illya says, sagging in relief.
"You really think I'm gonna cheat on you, Illya?" I deadpan, still on Miyu's lap.
"No, I was just a bit jealous." The albino admits, looking away shyly.
"Well, sit down. I'll lay in your lap for a bit." I offer. Illya's smile brightens as she sits down on the other side of me. I tilt to the opposite side, laying my head on my girlfriend's lap. "Huh. Just as soft." I muse. Just as squishy.
""Eh?!"" Both girls squeak in embarrassment.
"Geez, Onii-chan." Illya whines as she starts playing with my hair. "Huh... This IS fun..." She muses. I hear Miyu let out a huff of laughter.
Feeling super relaxed, I close my eyes and snuggle against her a bit. To the side, I hear Miyu get up and sit on the other side of Illya, who lets out a small sound of surprise. I then realize that I feel two pairs of small hands playing with my hair. I smile as I suddenly feel far more relaxed than before. ASMR's got nothin' on this.
As I relax, I end up feeling things. I've gotten pretty got a meditation over the years, which helped my sensory abilities. Meditation lets me connect to others, especially those I'm touching. Somehow, I feel that Illya and Miyu are incredibly similar in some vague way. Something that isn't physical... It's not their magic, Illya's circuits are definitely off. I've got no idea what it is, either. It's not something I've sensed before.
Soul... Third Magic? Maybe not, the Einzbern craft is a downgrade from the Third Magic. But that magic is tied to the Grail and its wishes. Mom and Illya were made into vessels for the Grail in Fate/stay, but what about in this world? Is that what I'm feeling from Illya? But then why does Miyu feel similarly? Something isn't adding up.
I can feel the second soul reaching out, almost as though it's doing so constantly, hoping to grab onto something. It's like the soul isn't even really trying to do so, just laboring on a false hope of some sort. The soul has given up, for lack of a better term. 'Reaching' over, I give the soul the equivalent of a head pat. It jolts in surprise, before relaxing, seemingly satisfied. While I'm here, I also shake her 'cage' a little, loosening the bonds a bit. Maybe she can see a bit more now.
Sighing quietly, I just rest there, allowing the two girls to continue to mess with my hair. Despite the new and worrying revelations, I still feel far too relaxed. I kinda hope I don't fall asleep...
"Ah."
"What is it, Miyu-san?"
"He fell asleep."
Illya looks at her brother more closely, and, to her surprise, he has fallen asleep on her lap. The mere thought of that brings heat rushing her to her cheeks. "...He did."
The girls fall into a slightly awkward silence for a bit.
"Say, um... Do you not have a problem with Onii-chan and I dating?" Illya cautiously asks.
"Why would I?" The blackette asks.
"Well, I know it's sorta weird for siblings to get together and, uh..." Illya trails off.
But to her surprise, Miyu smiles. "I don't think it's strange. I, well... I also had a c-crush on my brother..."
Ruby red eyes widen in shock. "You did?"
"Yes... But unlike you, I never got to tell him. And I likely never will." Miyu says, sadly before sighing. "...Still..." She looks down at Shirou with a sad smile. "...He reminds me of my brother too much... right down to how kind he is... Your brother even said I could call him 'Onii-chan' if I got too lonely."
The albino girl smiles down at her brother, "Yeah, that sounds like something he would do." She then blinks, remembering something. "You called me Illyasviel before, didn't you?" She asks, looking back up at the other girl, who nods at the question. "Well, that's kinda..." Illya pauses, shaking her head. "Never mind. Just call me Illya from now on."
Miyu blinks yet again. "Are you sure?"
Illya smiles. "Of course. If Onii-chan is willing to let you call him that, that means you're a friend of his. A friend of Onii-chan's is a friend of mine, and all of my friends call me Illya, so..."
Miyu is clearly surprised, but relents, smiling at her new friend. "Then just call me Miyu, Illya."
The two girls smile happily at their newfound friendship before looking back down at the sleeping boy.
"Hang on... You have a crush on your brother... who Onii-chan reminds you of..." Illya says, slowly.
"Y-Yes..." Miyu says, suddenly feeling a bit afraid for some reason.
Illya whips around, face red, before pouting. "Does that mean you have a crush on Onii-chan?!"
"Huh?!" Miyu shouts, holding her hands out placatingly. "N-No! I barely even know Shirou!"
"But you aren't denying it!" Illya argues.
"I'm denying it right now!" Miyu snaps.
The two would continue to bicker for a while, waking up Shirou, who, upon noticing the situation, simply went back to sleep on his sister's lap.
"You look pretty happy, Illya-san." Ruby says to the albino girl, fresh out of the bath. "Did something happen while I was with Sapphire?"
Illya nods. "Miyu and I ended up becoming friends, and..." She pauses, smiling at the memory. "Onii-chan fell asleep on my lap."
"Oh-ho! How sweet!" Ruby teases. "But I feel like that isn't all there is~"
"Well... Miyu told me that Onii-chan remind her of her brother..." Illya says, sitting down on her bed. "I was a bit worried for a moment there."
"Oh? Worried about her stealing your man away?" Ruby jokes.
"No! I know how much Onii-chan loves me. I know he wouldn't cheat on me, but... Miyu likes her brother, not mine. It's just that she never got to tell her brother that." Illya says, clearly not wanting to know what happened to Miyu's brother exactly, afraid of it being terrible. Still, she worries for her new friend.
"But she said your brother reminds her of her brother." The stick reminds. "So, who's to say that she'll end up liking your brother more than she does hers?"
Ruby red eyes widen, before Illya shakes her head, dispelling those thoughts. "No way! That would never happen! ...Right?"
"I don't know..." Ruby says, holding her wings behind her back as though they were arms. "You never know what might happen in the future, Illya-san. Miyu-san might end up liking your brother too!"
"That's...!" The magical girl pauses, her mind racing. "But that still doesn't mean Onii-chan would cheat on me or anything, he loves me too much to do that."
"Yeah. Even I can tell you mean the world to him." Ruby says, causing her wielder to blush harder. "What I'm saying is that Miyu-san might end up liking your brother more than hers, despite the fact that he's dating you." The stick the blushes, placing her 'bands' on her 'cheeks'. "It'd be a live triangle! It happens all the time in magical girl animes!"
"This isn't that same!" Illya argues, pointing at the stick, before she sighs. "Though... I don't know how I feel about her liking Onii-chan, but... Miyu always seems so sad."
The two remain silent for a moment, before it's broken by the stick. "Oh, I see." Ruby says, deviously. "You wouldn't mind sharing your brother with Miyu-san, is that it?"
"No, it's...!" She tries to deny, her mind racing. "L-Lets just go to bed, Ruby!" She says, flopping onto the bed with a huff.
"Sure, sure. Whatever you want, Illya-san~" Ruby teases, before laying down as well, but on the shelf above the girl's bed.
Illya lays in bed, her thoughts still turbulent. '...Sharing Onii-chan with Miyu? That... I feel like I should hate it, but... She needs to smile more... Onii-chan always tries his best to make me happy, so...'
AN
Oh? Looks like I changed the order of events a bit. Didn't the maid stuff happen AFTER Caster and Saber? I wonder why I did that...?
This one's also pretty long, over 9,700 words. Then again, most of it is copy-pasted from the original.
Also, the fanfiction app doesn't like pluses, so I had to write A-plus in place of the symbol. It's annoying.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and look forward to the next!