Ch'en drove the car to a large office building. They stopped at the parking lot and the LGD Superintendent led them inside. A few minutes later, they entered an extravagant office.
"Kal'tsit!" Amiya greeted the feline doctor when they arrived.
"Hello, Amiya." The green-haired woman returned the greeting. Her eyes flashed to the Doctor behind Amiya, before moving over as if she hadn't seen him.
"Ah, wonderful. More guests! Please, have some tea." The dragon sitting across Kal'tsit smiled at the new arrivals. He poured warm tea into two china cups and placed them in front of Amiya and the Doctor. "Ch'en, would you like tea?"
"No thank you, sir." Ch'en declined. Despite being in the presence of her uncle, the Draco continued to act professionally.
"As you wish." The senior Draco leaned back. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Chief Executive Wei Yenwu. I lead the city Lungmen. It is great to see your safe arrival, Ms. Amiya and company."
"Thank you for your generosity, sir." Amiya bowed lightly.
"Now that all parties have arrived, let us continue our discussion." Wei Yenwu placed both his arms on his lap. "Rhodes Island wishes to enter into a cooperation with the city of Lungmen to tackle the issue of The Reunion."
The Doctor kept quiet as Kal'tsit led the negotiations with Amiya's support. He was still new to the situation and didn't have much grasp. He still didn't know why he was being brought to the meeting either.
"I'm afraid I can't do that."
Amiya's eats drooped slightly.
"W-what do you mean you can't…?"
"Lungmen is a grand city of renown. We are the epicenter of commerce and trade. Our status is the result of our efforts and connections. Ultimately, we are independent- even to the nation of Yan- unless it concerns international relations."
"B-but this is the Reunion…" The small cautus seemed to grow smaller in front of the proud dracos in front of her.
"Did you not hear? Lungmen is independent. We are easily capable of dealing with such rabble." Ch'en interrupted sharply. "We have no need for Rhodes Island's assistance." She was affronted at the idea that a pharmaceutical organization- one with a paramilitary so small- thought that they could assist a city like Lungmen.
"Ch'en Hui-chieh!" Wei Yenwu snapped at his niece. The girl froze and stepped back from her little outburst.
"In other words…I cannot accept your help. Ch'en is right. It will do our reputation harm." The senior Draco leaned forwards. He pulled out a cigar, lighting up the tobacco stick. "I hope you do not take this personally. I have to look out for Lungmen."
"...what about your infected?" Amiya was grasping at straws now.
"They are being handled appropriately." Wei Yenwu tapped his cigar.
"Is there absolutely nothing that Rhodes Island can help with? We can assist Lungmen's…"
"That is enough…Amiya." Kal'tsit interrupted. "Forgive us if we pressed the issue. May we still conduct business with corporations inside Lungmen? We understand if we overstayed our welcome." She would quickly withdraw their presence from Lungmen if the governor found them too intrusive.
"Although Lungmen declines your assistance in our affairs, you are welcome to continue conducting business within Lungmen. We will not hinder your transactions with other entities, so long as Lungmen's safety is not threatened. Please, enjoy your stay." Wei Yenwu gently smiled.
With that, their meeting had concluded.
Kal'tsit inwardly frowned. They had come with reports and information of the Reunion's capabilities yet all those were shrugged aside. If Lungmen had any plans to prepare for the rebel movement, then they were making plans with incomplete data. Data that Rhodes Island collected.
"Ch'en, please accompany our guests to their suites."
"Of course, sir."
Ch'en opened the door for the trio of Rhodes Island representatives and accompanied them back to the transport used earlier.
In a corner of the Lungmen chief executive's room, a small insect tucked itself away after listening to the conversation.
.
.
.
Back in the privacy of their hotel rooms, Kal'tsit was able to vent after the unsuccessful attempt.
"I'm sorry!" Amiya bowed at the feline doctor. "I overstepped and-"
"No, Amiya. It was not your fault." She interrupted.
"...but still. I wasn't able to help much."
"No. It was a calculated attempt. I had hoped that the two of us together would've been able to open an avenue into the negotiations. Looks like the attempt failed." Kal'tsit turned to face the two. "We will just have to make do. We can still do business with other companies."
Rhodes Island may be a pharmaceutical corporation, but they still dabbled in many other fields. Military contracts and medicine aren't the only businesses they run.
"It is late. Rest up and we will go out tomorrow." The green-haired doctor instructed.
Amiya and the Doctor reached her suite's entrance before Kal'tsit called on her former colleague.
"Doctor…do you remember who I am?"
The Doctor gulped at the sharp gaze she shot at him.
"I…I cannot." He admitted while looking to the side in shame. If this woman knew who he was- and he didn't remember anything about her- then it was only natural to feel abashed.
"I see. Don't think of it too much. I understand that amnesia can do terrible things. Have a good night."
The door to her room closed and Kal'tsit was left alone to ponder over her thoughts. She poured herself a cup of water to simmer over her contingency plans in Lungmen. The following week would be spent conducting business and she needed to schedule accordingly-
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of tapping.
Kal'tsit looked at the glass doors leading to the balcony overlooking the Lungmen cityscape. She pulled aside the curtains and peered outside. When she saw nobody, the feline scrunched her brows at the unusual event.
Then the sound of tapping- no pecking- reverberated below her. Kal'tsit looked down to see a small peculiar sparrow looking at her.
A small piece of paper was tied to its leg.
Kal'tsit opened the balcony door and allowed the small avian to fly in. It flew on top of a table and faced her, waiting expectantly. She untied the small message and read its contents.
Tomorrow at 8am, meet at XXXXXX. - FC
FC? Who would use such initials-
Kal'tsit paused as realized who it was.
Did they evacuate to Lungmen? She'd just have to find out for herself.
In a bustling city like Lungmen, there were always small comfort restaurants tucked away from the limelight. These places dotted the cities, and were difficult to find. Normally, only locals were privy to these secrets, unless they wished to impart said knowledge to outsiders.
Not for Sakura. The girl had a sixth-sense for good food. She had picked out the restaurant when one of her familiars flew over the area.
The sisters enjoyed a nice quiet morning away from the hustle and bustle of the city while waiting for a certain guest.
Would you look at that? She arrived early.
The green-haired feline stepped into the establishment and headed over. She sat across the two sisters drinking tea. Rin continued to quietly enjoy her drink while Sakura meekly waved her hand to greet the newcomer.
"Rin. Sakura." Kal'tsit greeted the two Fuyuki Clinic doctors.
"Good morning, Miss Kal'tsit." Sakura returned the greeting.
Kal'tsit idly noted that the third doctor was not in attendance, but didn't put much attention to it. More importantly, the Rhodes Island leader had other pressing matters in mind.
Matters like what the meeting is for. She knew nothing about the Fuyuki Clinic trio's current situation. At least their presence here meant that they successfully escaped the Reunion invasion at Chernobog.
"So…you called?" She tentatively asked while waving at the waitress for her order. It would look out of place if she didn't make any, plus Kal'tsit wanted to avoid attention. The three of them already stood out for not being locals. The small restaurant was a bit off the main avenues.
"I'm going to cut to the chase." Rin intertwined her fingers and met Kal'tsit's gaze head on. "You help me, I help you. That simple." She wasn't going to bother playing the usual games around Kal'tsit. She knew the woman would also want straight answers.
"I need more details."
"You want an agreement from Lungmen. I can make sure they owe you a favor. In return, I want Rhodes Island to help us get our stupid idiot back."
Short and straight to the point.
Kal'tsit frowned while glancing to the side distractedly. She eyed the customers and waitress just a few meters away who could've heard the exchange.
"Don't worry about them. They don't hear anything." Rin showed by snapping her finger in front of the customer on the table behind them. The two lovebirds carried on flirting with one another, almost as if they couldn't see Rin visibly blocking their view of each other.
Kal'tsit nodded.
Arts.
It was the only conclusion.
"Rest assured that nobody here will hear us." Rin had hypnotized the entire establishment upon their arrival. Nobody would remember ever seeing the three of them inside.
"I see…how can I be sure that you can make Lungmen owe Rhodes Island a favor? Those are big words."
"They want Misha."
Misha?
"Our sources say that she was the daughter of a researcher stationed in Chernobog long ago. Someone named Sergei. I assumed you would be highly interested in this information."
Kal'tsit froze.
How-?
Sergei was part of the research team under Kal'tsit many years ago studying the Sarcophagus housed within Chernobog. What were the chances Rin knew about her involvement?
"You are interested, I take it?"
"You sure know a lot for a doctor."
"Not doctors anymore. We've closed. No plans to continue in the near future." Rin had shelved their research for the time being. Their future plans were also paused in favor of rescuing their stupid wannabe hero.
"In return you want us to recover your…friend?"
"Shirou stayed back in Chernobog to help people. Stupid idiot got himself captured by the Reunion." Rin hid her groan behind a sip on her drink.
The bulk of the Reunion were now in Chernobog. It was simply too dangerous for Kal'tsit to even consider the idea of sending a team deep into enemy territory to rescue Shirou. She may have been willing to send a team with her to meet the Fuyuki trio a few months ago, but things were different now.
"It's too dangerous."
"You'll have me and Sakura too."
Kal'tsit raised an eyebrow.
"I am not sending the two of you. You are too important to lose."
Despite everything on the table, Kal'tsit would play the safe card. Rin and Sakura could treat Oripathy. Sending them into Reunion territory would risk losing the remainder of the Fuyuki Clinic doctors. It was bad enough that Shirou was captured. The Reunion were unlikely to let such a valuable prisoner go unprotected.
"We are more than capable."
"It is not a matter of capability." Kal'tsit didn't know what skills the two had outside of medicine and Rin's arts, but she still didn't agree with their plans.
Looks like Rin will have to just stack more cards in their favor.
"I didn't mean just for the operation."
Kal'tsit's brows furrowed.
"We'll temporarily join Rhodes Island." The trio had been doing their own research independently. Their methods and results were produced differently. Working together with Rhodes Island- Terra's leading organization in research and treatment of Oripathy- would boost the pharmaceutical organization's progress.
Rin leaned back and watched Kal'tsit's reaction. Her pause told the sisters all they needed to know. The prospect of having the Fuyuki doctors working with Rhodes Island was too good to let up.
As far as Kal'tsit knew, they were the only people on the planet who could treat Oripathy with ease. Enough to do it on the masses for months for free.
It was insane. Too good of an opportunity to pass it up.
"You really care about him, don't you?" Kal'tsit murmured. Actions spoke louder than words. Rin and Sakura in front of her were going to such lengths to secure assistance to save Shirou.
Rin didn't answer the question. She had no need to.
"...very well. If that is what you want. I'll prepare a contract and send it to you by mail. Can I have your contact address?"
"We don't trust third parties. Best to keep it secure. Remember the little sparrow? We can leave one with you."
"Nee-san…it's still faster if we give them our number." Sakura stepped in. Rin was purposefully limiting their communication with Kal'tsit through her familiars. Her elder sister wasn't good with technology and Terra's tech was comparable to that of Earth's.
Rin…you really need to stop holding back. I can handle this if you don't want to.
The conversation happened telepathically between the sisters as they looked at each other.
"Oh fine. But as long as we keep it vague. Can't let Lungmen find out." Rin scribbled out their numbers on a napkin and handed it to Kal'tsit.
Kal'tsit accepted the new contact details. Their old numbers in Chernobog would've already been useless in a new network. Each city wanted to control their own network, which meant everyone had to register for caller ids linked to that system only.
It was honestly impressive. Kal'tsit saw through Rin's preparations. The girl was no slouch in pushing the right buttons to get what she wanted. Experienced, definitely. Kal'tsit's observation was accurate. Rin's time in the Clocktower had honed her politics to a sharp edge. Rin was by no means an expert compared to the hundreds of years Kal'tsit had, but it was enough to stack the odds in her favor.
Kal'tsit idly wondered which nation the girl came from. She didn't dare to ask on their first meeting, but now that Rin was comfortable enough to approach her for help…
"I can't help but give a warning…natural ears twitch and move."
"-!"
"You'd best work on your cover quickly. The two of you didn't have those ears the last time." Kal'tsit shared her observation on the extraneous organs above their heads.
Last time she met them in Chernobog, Rin and Sakura certainly didn't have feline ears- nor tails. No doubt more than a few patients had picked up on the distinct features the trio of doctors lacked.
She didn't press on, content to let the two sisters keep their secrets. Kal'tsit had done some research into what Terran races had little to no features of fauna.
There were none.
So she came up with 4 conclusions. Either the trio were Aegir with hidden features- much like Skadi, an unidentified race, test subjects…
…or they were aliens.
"..."
"..."
Rin may have gotten what she wanted, but Kal'tsit felt competitive and wanted to land a hit in. Just because she preferred passive and silent moves didn't mean she lost to someone who was on the attack. Hundreds of years of political experience allowed the Rhodes Island leader to dance around others with ease.
Kal'tsit 1-1 Rin.
"Moving on-" Kal'tsit pushed through the uncomfortable subject. "-if Lungmen wants Misha, then it would be best to start now. I'll have our operators search for the girl-"
"No need." Rin interrupted.
"-?"
"We've already sent out ours to search for her."
Sakura had quickly dispatched her familiars to comb through the city once Kal'tsit agreed to their proposal. Hundreds of mice, birds, and insects- all synced together looking for one girl.
The Matou family magic was no slouch. Her "grandfather" Matou Zouken had controlled thousands at a time back in Fuyuki.
"Have your operators ready. We'll contact you right away once we find her."
Kal'tsit stayed silent. She had met Rin before- and although she and the girl lightly bonded over their problems with certain positions- cough leadership cough- she hadn't seen much else from their first meeting.
This time, it was different. Where Rin was trying to lay low before, Kal'tsit saw that the girl was more than happy to make moves when it came to pressing matters.
Matters like saving her friend.
Interesting.
More than interesting. Rin was clearly capable- as she claimed.
"...very well." Kal'tsit stood, followed by Rin and Sakura
"I look forward to our cooperation."
"So do I."
They shook hands.
Shirou was placed into a new cell with a towel.
After being frozen upon waking up by FrostNova, the Reunion quickly reacted and began melting through the block of ice that was formerly his jail cell.
For some reason, the guards- along with their cautus commander- were glaring at him.
What did he do wrong?! He just woke up!
"Uhhh…did I do something wrong?"
FrostNova continued to glare at him.
"...nevermind."
A rebel messenger came in and saluted her.
"Ma'am! I've reported to the other commanders that the prisoner is awake! Our leader has called all of you for a meeting! Bring him, she says!"
FrostNova blinked. Why was she being informed via messenger- oh. She looked at her radio. The poor device was soaked wet after being released from her ice through heating. The internals were probably damaged. She'd have to acquire a new one while sending this piece in for repairs.
"Thank you, please inform her that I will be bringing the prisoner shortly."
The man quickly ran off to pass the response.
Shirou hugged the towel closer around him. He was still soaking wet- and the weather wouldn't dry him for a while. FrostNova nodded at the cell door and the guards unlocked it.
"Try to escape and I'll freeze you." She warned with narrowed eyes.
Shirou sighed.
She really was in a bad mood.
He left the cell and glanced at the other prisoner held on the other cell near him. The blonde Kuranta looked back at him from her hunched sitting position at the corner of her cell. She looked despondent.
How? Nearl was supposed to be with Rhodes Island on their ship.
FrostNova frowned at him when he didn't follow immediately. Shirou quickly stepped behind the indignant rabbit and followed her. They walked outside and out into the ruins of the city. A platoon of the Yeti Squadron surrounded them once he and FrostNova appeared outside the prison.
For some reason, something felt different. Shirou couldn't put a finger on it until he saw the platoon around them.
They weren't wearing thick coats.
"You're recovering." He smiled. Shirou remembered the cold atmosphere that would exude from the rabbit commander everytime they would meet back when he supplied them with antidotes. It was nice to see that her affliction had lightened to a considerable degree.
FrostNova's eyes widened. She hadn't expected that to be his reaction.
"I am."
"That's good."
"..."
FrostNova side-eyed him as they walked to their destination.
"...why?"
"?"
"Why do you care?" The Cautus whispered.
"Because you looked like you needed it. You and Faust both." Shirou answered while watching a camp in the distance.
A camp of prisoners.
"...is that why you supplied us?"
"Part of it."
FrostNova remembered Shirou's objectives back when they worked together.
"I see…"
They settled into silence as they continued walking. A quarter of an hour later, they arrived at an untouched building. It had little damage- perfect for whatever use the Reunion had in mind. The platoon with them stopped while the duo continued. The guards at the entrance saluted FrostNova as they entered. She led him past the foyer and into a hallway of conference rooms. They kept walking until they arrived at the last one.
When she opened the door, Shirou's gaze snapped to the figure at the head of the table.
Striking grey eyes met sturdy bronze.
They stared at each other for a while.
Shirou still remembered his clash with the Dragon of the Reunion. It was hard not to- when it was the last memory he had before being knocked out. It didn't help that he was running on fumes along with a corrupted body.
The knight against the dragon.
"FrostNova." Talulah's eyes moved to the rabbit commander she greeted.
"Talulah." She returned the greeting.
Shirou released his gaze after Talulah released hers. He scanned the rest of the room's attendees.
Faust, a young grey-haired boy, a large hulking (deer?) warrior with antlers, and a masked figure with grenade launchers.
These must be the leaders of the Reunion.
"...why is he wet?"
Good point.
"-!" FrostNova panicked.
Shirou shot a side-eye at the frozen Cautus beside him
"I woke up and needed a bath. I wasn't allowed outside my cell so…"
Talulah raised one brow but didn't question him.
"FrostNova…is your Oripathy acting up?" The large Sarkaz commander beside Talulah asked.
Unlike Shirou who was wrapped up in a towel to dry, FrostNova didn't need drying.
The water on her already froze into icicles. Just because the antidote was effective didn't mean that it completely removed all side effects. A few weeks of the antidote didn't remove the damage a few years of Oripathy inflicted on their victims.
"N-no…I- I splashed myself with some water…" FrostNova stumbled on her words.
Looks like she was also trying to hide the fact that she froze his original cell by accident.
"...?" A few confused reactions were drawn from some of the Reunion commanders.
"...I was testing if my Oripathy has lowered enough not to freeze objects on contact."
Alright, let's go with that.
"Have you had him checked by the doctors? He was in a coma for a week." Talulah asked.
FrostNova inwardly sighed in relief when their leader shifted the subject.
"Not yet. I brought him here right away."
"See to it that he is checked after."
FrostNova nodded at Talulah's order. The Draco intertwined her fingers together while returning her gaze to Shirou. Meanwhile, Shirou's gaze landed on the sword right next to her.
"..."
He narrowed his eyes at what he saw.
"You are quite powerful for someone posing as a doctor…" His attention was drawn back to the grey-haired Draco. Talulah wasn't convinced that the man in front of her was a doctor. Faust and FrostNova claimed he was the supplier for the antidote- but it seemed all too convenient.
It was like a civilian cover someone faked. Someone as powerful as the archer couldn't just be a doctor.
"...tell me archer, what is someone as powerful as you doing in Chernobog?" Talulah wasn't going to waste her time.
"I was saving lives."
It matched the character Faust and FrostNova reported. They were the ones to put forth the idea of capturing him.
Now, she was going to force the issue.
"Does this look familiar to you?"
A bottle was placed on the conference table.
"...yes."
It was the same container Shirou bottled the antidote he supplied Faust and FrostNova with.
"Tell me where you get the supply."
"There is none."
Talulah saw through the bullshit immediately.
Or maybe, Shirou was a very very bad liar.
"Do you think you can fool me? You're a fighter, not a doctor. You're just supplying this medicine." The Reunion leader narrowed her eyes.
"...that is not true."
This time, it was the large hulking figure right next to her that came to his defense.
The second-in-command of the Reunion, Patriot.
"I've personally had some of the patients report to me. All three of the Fuyuki Clinic doctors treat Oripathy." The Sarkaz looked Shirou directly in the eye and nodded at him.
He's defending me?
Shirou blinked at the weird turn of events.
"Simple, bring in a rebel. Have him do it in front of us. If he fails, then we kill him." The grey-haired commander beside Faust grinned while leaning into his chair and crossing his arms.
"Call one of the guards in." Talulah ordered.
FrostNova nodded. A few moments later, she brought in one of the Yeti squadron.
"Please show us your infection." FrostNova requested her soldier. The squadron member nodded and showed the dark crystal-like minerals growing on his arm.
"Reports say that the marks of Oripathy completely disappear after treatment. If they tell the truth, then there will be no problem." Skullshatterer had requested a few of the reports from Patriot.
Faust and FrostNova stayed quiet, giving Shirou confident looks.
The message was clear to everyone in the room.
They trusted him.
It was the same trust Patriot placed on Faust and FrostNova. The former, a fighter taught by Patriot. The latter, his adopted daughter.
Shirou sighed. In this world, magecraft- or magic in their eyes- was synonymous to arts. Surely Rin wouldn't kill him for breaking the rule right?
Right?
Oh who was he kidding. He was already dead the next time he met her.
"Treat him." Talulah ordered.
Shirou silently went about the motions, slowly filtering the corrupted energy from the rebel in front of him. The man froze as he felt the dark minerals recede. The change was visible- the commanders stared as the crystal-like disease disappeared from his arm.
It took him a bit longer than usual since he wasn't completely recovered, but Shirou finished the treatment all the same.
"..."
"Why didn't you just ask for treatment if it was better than the medicine?!" The grey-haired boy elbowed Faust in the side.
"I-I was too focused trying to get the medicine…" Faust grumbled quietly. Looking at it now, the antidote Shirou provided was less effective at healing than the treatment, but in exchange, their arts were boosted. Using his arts felt easier after drinking the antidote.
For her part, FrostNova couldn't hide the small beaming expression she had at proving the others wrong.
Small victories. She'd take what she can get.
Skullshatterer had nothing to say. He was equally stumped at seeing the results produced right in front of his eyes. Patriot was deep in thought, same as the Draco at the head of the table.
Talulah's eyes were narrowed at Shirou. The physical prowess he showed during the invasion, his weaponry, the ethereal shield of petals, the ability to treat Oripathy, his lack of defining features- the man had was a walking anomaly.
Just who are you, Shirou Emiya?
She put aside her questions to focus on her task.
"So…it was the truth. You can treat Oripathy."
Shirou didn't like where this was going.
"FrostNova, have him treat our soldiers once the doctors confirm that he is fit for duty."
"No."
Talulah narrowed her eyes.
"...no?"
"I won't treat the Reunion." The Fuyuki trio only put up with the sham because they didn't want to show the infected that they were picking patients. If they did, a riot would've occurred.
"You seem to think that you have a choice."
"Talulah-" Patriot tried to interfere.
"Know that for every action, there is a consequence. Each time you decline, a civilian will be killed."
"-!"
Shirou slammed his hands on the conference table.
"Don't you dare lay a hand on them."
The Draco stared back calmly.
"You are our prisoner, doctor. You don't have a choice."
"A proposal, if both parties cannot agree." Patriot deepened his voice.
Talulah and Shirou looked at him.
"You care about the civilians. Talulah wants the Reunion treated. A compromise then." Up until that point, Patriot had been silent. It was the most he had spoken that meeting.
Talulah blankly received Shirou's heated glare.
"What would it take you to treat our men?"
"...let the civilians go."
"Denied." Talulah wasn't going to let them go. They were clearly the key to forcing his hand.
FrostNova switched her gaze between the two nervously.
"Hmph. It seems no more progress will be made today." The Draco stood from her seat. "Reconsider your options until tomorrow, then we shall meet again. If we cannot settle on an agreement at our next meeting, I will have one civilian killed for every hour after. Dismissed."
.
.
.
The man was in a bad mood when they returned.
Nearl nibbled on her dinner- a bowl soup- while quietly watching him pace inside his new cell. His tray of food was left untouched at his cell door.
The heated atmosphere continued for another few hours until it settled down some time after dinner, to which he picked up his food and began eating.
For her part, Nearl had settled on her cold prison bed- curled up to keep what little warmth she had. The Yeti guards were kind enough to give her a cot, but it was a thin one. Not enough to ward off the cold of night.
Then for the first time in days, she found herself being talked to.
"...I'm sorry."
The words were directed at her.
Nearl turned around to look at him.
"Why?"
"I thought Rhodes Island made it out safely."
"...we did."
The red-haired archer looked at her. A week ago, Nearl had connected that voice to a masked archer in red. She hadn't expected to see him without a mask after the escape- or so she thought. But here they are now- both held prisoner by the Reunion.
He must've been only a few years older than her.
"What happened…?" He quietly asked.
It was a small conversation. Something which distracted Nearl from her pitiful mental state.
"...I fell. When I woke up, I was surrounded."
Nearl still remembered the helplessness when she realized that she was alone.
Not so alone anymore. Seeing the archer who helped Rhodes Island awake alleviated some of that solitude. The two of them were in the same boat. Disarmed, imprisoned, and surrounded by enemies.
They settled into more silence as the conversation died.
"How long has it been? Since the invasion, I mean." He asked her.
"A week."
"...Rin's going to kill me." The figure's head smacked against the wall lightly.
"...?" Nearl's expression drew an explanation out of him.
"Ah…she's worried about me. No doubt she already knows that I've been captured if I haven't returned."
"..."
"How about you?"
"...why do you care?"
Nearl was beginning to feel homesick. She was used to sleeping away from Rhodes Island, but not without their company. Even the presence of other operators felt more comfortable than the solitude she had now.
The man shot her a look.
"...because you look terrible."
That was when Nearl felt it. The small stream of tears that were crawling down her cheeks.
"..."
The silence returned when the Kuranta didn't continue the conversation. The archer across her didn't push the atmosphere anymore after seeing her cry.
"...Shining and Nightingale." She whispered softly.
"I see…friends of yours?"
The blonde woman nodded.
"That's good."
"..."
"Keep them in mind. Imagine how happy they'll be once you're back."
Nearl blinked in confusion as she rubbed her tears away.
"Don't give up hope." The man smiled at her reassuringly.
"Hope is the last thing you should ever give up."
It was a small thing. Just a few words. But to Nearl, it was enough to alleviate some of the misery.
Her sleep felt a little lighter after the conversation that night.
Author's Note
Took some time writing some of my other works to take a break from this one. Needed some time to refresh. Might update the others a bit more if I go into another writer's block. Chapter 10 was that bad for me.
For everyone who talked about the intruder in Shirou's soul, remember that Shirou is not an expert in soul magic. He isn't even aware of how many weapons there are inside him. He has to manually catalogue them all if he wants to keep track or find them. BUT he is at least aware if there is a foreign entity inside him. Kaschey's Originium "arts" (magic) is something that involves the soul. If there is a way to possess someone, he would do it. He's done it once before! You'll find out very soon :)
P.s. Arknights and Nasu fans will burn me alive if I don't clarify.
P.s.s. Someone already guessed correctly what one of the future arcs of the story will be. I'm sure he's going to be a very very happy reader.