Chapter 3: Fated Beginnings
Author's note:
For those reading both the rewrites and the new chapters, the next new chapter is delayed slightly. I've been away the past few weeks so I need a bit more work on it. This chapter is ready, however, so I wanted to post it with a bit of a status update. I hope you all enjoy.
*Story Start*
The soft sizzle of eggs frying in a pan filled the pre-dawn air.
"Ah," I breathed deep and exhaled slowly before proceeding to skin and chop vegetables, the soft and rhythmic clack of the knife striking the cutting board was divinely relaxing. After several years wandering and a few weeks in a cheap hotel it was good to be in a fully stocked kitchen again, even if it was a western style layout and not the traditional style I had grown up with.
The few meals I'd cooked for the girls while dropping Yukari off had been like dipping into a bath after trudging through the jungle. Unfortunately, it was short lived as I had to return with Takami to the city, but the ability to make breakfast part of my morning routine again was… helping, to take the edge off the stress of the last few weeks.
I felt more myself than I had in a while.
Despite not being my preferred style, Takami's luxury suite came complete with a fully equipped kitchen; tile counter tops flanking a double stove/oven on either side to provide ample prep space. On one side cabinets lined the wall above the counters and the other was covered by a shelf from which hung various sizes of pots and pans. In the center of the kitchen was a small island that provided additional counter and storage space and the other side held a spotless double sink and a refrigerator tucked in the corner. An opened half-wall gave a perfect view from the kitchen across the dining room and through the floor to ceiling windows looking over the Shin Tokyo skyline.
Even at this time-of-day MBI's massive clock tower was fully lit up as it dominated the picturesque cityscape.
Unfortunately, my morning meditation was about to be interrupted in three… two…
"Hello, Ichi-" Thunk!
The peeling knife I'd been using to skin the cucumbers now rested in the doorframe, quivering next to Karasuba's smiling face. Even this early in the morning she was fully geared for work; her customary (and improperly worn) long grey coat hung over her shoulders as she refused to put her arms through the sleeves. Under it she wore her black leather uniformed top and matching miniskirt that ended scandalously high on her thighs. Each piece of her outfit was printed with MBI's emblem.
The nodachi she carried was noticeably (and thankfully) absent this morning.
"How sweet of you," She purred, her eyes only barely visible as she delicately pried the knife from where it was embedded, "Sahashi-kun."
"I told you my name is Shirou, you damn crow." My answering scowl only made her grin widen as she sauntered over to the island to watch me work (and steal what portions she could when my back was turned) as she had each morning since I'd taken (temporary) residence in Takami's apartment.
It did not escape my notice that the knife, like the other objects I had casually threatened her with since our ill-fated meeting slash botched interrogation in the Shin Tokyo Airport, was pocketed by the gray-haired demon never-to-be-seen-or-heard-from again. Still, better for it to suffer such a fate (I thought as I made a mental note to replace the knife before Takami noticed) than for me to suffer a similar one in whatever this game the not-human was playing with me.
"Besides, didn't Takami tell you to stop breaking in here?" I sighed, pulling another knife from the magnetic strip above the counter to resume preparing our morning meal.
"I didn't break in," She lied, her grin turning self-satisfied and smug, "the door – Hey!"
I flicked a slice of cucumber at her face, cutting her off. It missed, unfortunately sailing off into the dining room behind her, but it did give me an idea… and probably save me money on replacement knives.
"Ugh…" Takami moaned, interrupting any further banter (and more likely, Karasuba's imminent retaliation) as she shuffled into the kitchen. Takami's work clothes hung disheveled, the top few buttons of her shirt were unfastened (two were actually misbuttoned) and her tie hung loosely around her neck as she ignored everything in her daily, zombie-like shuffle towards the pot of coffee I'd been brewing.
"I told you not to work so late," My scolding over yet another consecutive late work night was soundly ignored (or Takami was sleep walking), and I had to smother an amused smile of my own. It was almost like living with Rin again (for the few years we cohabitated). Habits learned in those years of (mostly pleasant) suffering served me well here.
Much like my former girlfriend and partner, Takami was decidedly not a morning person. As such, dealing with a morning Takami was exactly the same as a morning Rin: you didn't if you liked living.
Thankfully, I had some experience in this arena and had come up with a foolproof (or as Rin might have once fondly called it – idiotproof) method to safely and effectively return the dead to the living: the secret was to have something to bribe them into sparing you with.
I used coffee and breakfast.
"Come on, over here." I lured the (supposedly) more mature woman to the table with the black, life sustaining oil. That would distract her enough to put the finishing touches on breakfast. The last few days had taught me that if Takami woke up too much, then she'd try and leave without eating at all. It was already probably a crap shoot on if she stopped to eat lunch during the day, had a working lunch or (much more likely) worked through without eating.
Unless… I looked back in the kitchen to give a (unfortunately noticed) glance at the kleptomaniac leaning over my prep space. I scowled as her self-satisfied grin did nothing to hide the tomato that quickly disappeared behind her teeth.
Yeah… that was a crazy idea. There was no way in hell Karasuba would volunteer to help me ensure Takami was eating properly at work and on the off chance she was, I doubt I'd be willing to pay the price for it.
Instead, I shooed the kleptomanic menace away from the kitchen, which she departed with a prideful sniff, knowing that if Takami didn't get her meal, then neither would she. A minute later and everything was done and put together.
Today's breakfast was three egg omelets over rice with a vegetable salad and a light miso. The first of the plates went to the insatiable crow seating herself across from Takami: a tithe to keep the peace, even if it failed at keeping the evil spirit away. If she wasn't first, she'd use the opportunity to act her namesake and pilfer my food when I wasn't looking…
And then often when I was.
Breakfast was, thankfully, a silent and peaceful time in the Sahashi (plus Emiya) household, broken only by the sound of content chewing…
…right up until the caffeine turned Takami's brain back on.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Takami snapped, learning back into her seat with a scowl as her eyes finally focused on the woman in front of her. She fished a cigarette from her breast pocket, putting it to her lips. "What did I tell you about breaking into my home?"
"Hmm…" Karasuba hummed around her current mouthful. "…That it was charming and endearing?"
"That it was not either of those things," Takami hissed, taking a deep drag, "And most importantly don't."
"Karasuba, no talking." I said offhandedly, snatching the cigarette from between Takami's lips and dashing it out on a plate. "And no smoking at the table," I ignored Takami's glare at my hypocrisy, continuing, "Now finish up, both of you. Takami, I've made your lunch and I expect you to eat it, even if I have to show up and make you. Don't think that I won't." I scolded her before turning my attention to Karasuba before she got any ideas; the gleam in her eyes at the word 'lunch' was warning enough. "And you, leave that bento alone! You don't get anything you mangy scavenger. You want food, you chip in on groceries."
Both women simultaneously waved their hands at me flippantly, literally waving off my threats as unimportant. Then, as their synchronicity occurred to them, they turned to glare at each other. Well, Takami glared and Karasuba merely grinned until her eyes crinkled into slits.
With a sigh, I tucked into my own breakfast silently, leaving them to their own battle for the moment.
"Will you be home for dinner tonight?" I asked Takami, startling her from her glowering at the impervious Karasuba.
Takami shook her head in negation. "I don't think so. This week is the end of my last project and that means a lot of late nights. Don't be too surprised if I'm not home in the mornings either. After this week, though, things should calm down for me work wise as we enter the next phase." She gesticulated her points with her chopsticks, pointing and poking and waving wherever she felt appropriate.
"Understood. If that's the case, I may stick with Minato tonight." I nodded. This morning his entrance exam results should be announced. Since Takami was busy with her crunch time at work and Yukari was in her own exams in the country, it fell to me to represent the family and support him.
It was a weird feeling, like an itch you couldn't scratch, that I wasn't quite comfortable with. Still, I had spent some personal time with Yukari, and that wasn't terrible. The least I could do was make a similar showing for my other sibling given the only time we'd spent together thus far was a single introductory dinner.
Ignoring my own reservations, I resolved to pick him up from the testing center and spend the day with him if he'd allow it. Whether that would be in celebration, consolation or at all was yet to be seen.
"Should we call you with the results?" I asked as it occurred to me.
Takami made a strange noise in her throat before coughing. "Ah, yes! Give me a call when you pick him up, it's always good to talk to my baby." While she started off slightly off guard by the question, as she spoke her smile turned very… motherly? It was a face that promised shame and embarrassment to her spawn, anyway.
I purposefully didn't focus on that smile, or the nascent thought that as fucked up as I was, I wasn't sure if I was more or less messed up than I would be living with my apparent birth mother. There may be something wrong in the Sahashi genes.
Instead, I focused my attention on her reason for her hesitation when she first answered.
"That and you already hacked the results." I said nonchalantly.
"Right," Takami said as she nodded along, "I hacked them last week – wait." She cut herself off as she realized her admission. Karasuba, demon that she was, laughed at Takami's discomfort at being caught, no doubt saving this as ammunition for later. "No, I did no such thing. You can't prove it, anyway. Shouldn't you respect your mother? This is defamation."
"Yeah… not buying it." I snorted, smiling as she shifted her scowl onto me, futilely trying to deny her abuse of power (and possibly illegal action?) where her son was concerned. "So, will you tell me the results?"
"What results?" She averted her eyes, trying to distract me by cleaning up her plates and gather her work things. "How could I know anything when you haven't called to tell me yet?"
Karasuba's laughter wasn't helping the older woman maintain her composure, something that only seemed to increase the gray-haired woman's amusement.
"Uh huh," I deadpanned, "Fine. We'll call you with the results you totally don't already know and couldn't possibly have known." I rolled my eyes at our combined childishness and moved to clean up after breakfast. "Have a nice day Takami."
"Only her?" Karasuba mock pouted, or it sounded like it from her tone, anyway. I was purposefully not looking at her as the thought of Karasuba doing anything like pout was damaging to my sanity. "Why don't I get any farewells, I-Chi-" Thunk. Thunk.
The chopsticks I'd just collected sailed past her head and into the wall in the dining room.
"Shirou!" Takami sternly yelled at me. "What did I tell you about putting holes in my walls?"
She didn't comment on the violence against the intruder at the table, or about my continued violent reaction to my birth name.
That wasn't to say she had no reaction to my outburst, however, as I could see the momentary hurt in her eyes before she buried it in favor of scolding me. I was glad, however, that she remained silent about it.
In her mind I might still be the little boy who she watched grow up and who she thought she lost forever but treating me like that wouldn't be good for either of us. Hell, with Kiritsugu… as much as I love and respect him, his parenting was just as much me looking after him as it was him taking care of me.
Truth was, I'd been on my own for longer than I'd been with anyone else, with the possible exception of big sister (even if sometimes I felt the elder) Taiga.
Maybe… maybe with time it would feel more natural.
"What do you mean?" I blinked as innocently as I could. In the meantime, if it felt strange, I'd just fake it. Shirou Emiya was an identity uniquely suited to faking. After all, handn't it been said before that 'if you try hard enough, maybe a fake can be just as good as the original'? "Those are all Karasuba's fault. You know I think she's been stealing too." Not technically a lie on either case.
If the chopsticks I had thrown were conspicuously missing, and there was no hole punched in the wall, then that was just a mystery.
*Minato*
Today was the day.
It had to be, I prayed, waiting in the crowd around the posting boards. Something, anything had to finally turn out well for me today. I just… I really needed it to. The press of bodies was frantic as I pushed to the front.
Come on, come on, where is it? 107188. My testing number was 107188. As I scanned down the rows of numbers, I didn't see it. It had to be there. I shoved my way back up to the top of the list again. It..
It wasn't there. I checked again. And again. But each time I didn't see my number on the list of accepted applicants.
Once more, it seemed, I had failed to get into Shin Tokyo University.
I sighed, my breath misting before me in the cold morning air. This was miserable. I tiredly pushed through the crowd of hopeful applicants waiting for their spot. The last few weeks just seemed… pointless now. The time I spent studying, away from mom and my sister didn't help. Instead, I had ceded those small hours with family to a stranger so I could do my best, make them proud and just… nothing was enough.
I had to call mom and let her know I failed again. Yukari was back home on her own, so I wouldn't have to face her disappointment for a few days (or worse, her gloating). Not unless I cut my losses and went home myself, anyway. I could try again… work to stay in the city and pay rent, study after work and on weekends and try again next year? Maybe even transfer in halfway through?
Dammit.
Maybe… maybe if I didn't call right away mom would think I was celebrating with friends and got distracted? That could happen, right?
I shied away from the posting board and the crowd of jubilant students, slinking off like the other multiple repeaters to die in humiliation. Putting it off wouldn't work, I would have to call mom soon, even if I didn't want to yet.
I didn't want to admit to yet another failure.
A flash of red in the crowd caught my attention. Ichirou? No, I mean, yes, it was Ichirou. The specter of what could-have-been was standing in the crown across the street. But he wasn't Ichirou, he had another name, didn't he?
I could hide. It didn't look like he'd seen me yet. What was he even doing here? I didn't want to deal with the (founded or unfounded) feeling of a stranger try (or not) to be understanding. I didn't want pity from my own family, let alone the perfect stranger wearing my dead brothers' face.
Too late. Gold flecked eyes locked onto me, rooting me in place. The instinctive urge to fight or flee took hold of me under his gaze. I did neither, surrendering, the urge to fight or flee both failing as I remained sitting.
Instead, I noticed how, even if he wasn't doing anything more than standing there, he had an intimidating presence. The crowd around him parted, either intentionally or subconsciously, giving him space. Maybe they were as unsure about him as I was at his sharp expression or the minute twitches in his muscular arms and hands – like he was accustomed to holding or grasping something in each.
Like they got the same impression I did: that he was dangerous.
And then he waved, smiling gently, and the harness left his being like it was never there to begin with. It was as disconcerting as it was comforting, if that made any sense. I don't think I fully understood it myself, even as I found myself halfheartedly returning his wave.
How could someone look so differently in the blink of an eye? Like a switch was flipped in his mind.
"Hey Minato." He greeted me as he approached. "How did it go?" His voice was warm. Welcoming. I don't know why I expected something else. I was being unfair again, wasn't I? Judging him by his appearance and my own anxiety because I didn't know him.
I took a breath, held… and released. "Hey Ichirou."
He paused, a minute twitch as a look crossed his face. Ah, shoot.
"Sorry, I-" I tried to apologize but he just shook his head.
"It's alright. I should have expected it, really." His smile was still easy, if slightly diminished. "But please, call me Shirou."
Right.
"Right, sorry." I tried to return the smile. I just couldn't do anything right, could I? "Shirou then."
He nodded but didn't respond immediately, golden brown eyes studied me for less than a second. I struggled not to fidget.
"Ah." He must have read something in my expression as his smile faded and he grimaced. "Didn't make it then, huh?"
If words were swords, I'd bleed. I closed my eyes, waiting for the mocking condemnation…
A shuffling of cloth and a warmth on the left side of my body greeted me instead. Opening my eyes, I saw he sat on the curb next to me. He reached up, awkwardly like he wanted to pat my shoulder but wasn't sure how before he committed and did it anyway.
…huh.
His arm was heavy. The gesture stilted. Unfamiliar.
"Chin up. There's always next year, right?" He was trying. It was better than the alternative, so it wouldn't hurt to go along with it. Almost against my will, my lips quirked upwards. It was all me though when I nudged his side.
"Yeah…" I sighed non committedly.
"If it helps at all, I can tell you a secret neither Takami or Yukari knows about." I was intrigued, though he didn't wait for me to respond verbally before continuing. "I only ever graduated high school. I dropped out of school in England." What? But I thought… the knot in my chest lessened somewhat.
"I couldn't keep up with the theoretical stuff. Half the time I think I only got in by riding Rin's coattails." He continued. Who was Rin? "In the end, I think I'm a practical guy. My gifts, my interests, were in things more tangible than higher education."
I stared at him, agog, as he shrugged off his own failings. Wait… was this… was he attempting to older brother an older brother?
"But you?" Shirou's other hand came up, brandishing a finger like it was a weapon as he gestured with it. "From what I've heard from Takami, you're a pretty smart kid. What you lack isn't brains or dedication, so keep your head up. If my friend were here, she'd tell you that 'lacking confidence is the enemy!'"
I had to struggle not to laugh at his corny exclamation. "You're weirder than I gave you credit for." I deadpanned, but he merely grinned. The image I had been building of him of the perfect older brother that I couldn't compete with… the successful, smart, world travelling, and handsome stranger chipped. Ichirou… Shirou… just became… a little more real. More human.
This time, embarrassed as I was at his exclamation, my return grin was more heartfelt. "Thanks."
With a nod he let go of me. "So, have you called Takami yet?"
"Er, not yet." I winced. There was a conversation that would go exactly as I thought it would.
"Alright." He nodded. "I told her we'd call after you got the results, but then after, if you'd like I that I'll take you out to lunch. My treat. Do you have any friends you want to bring along? I don't mind covering them either."
"Thank you, but I'm sure they'd want to celebrate with their families." I was too embarrassed to say I didn't have many friends and none who I thought would want to join us. "No, I'll just call Mom real quick."
He nodded and I dialed Mom's number. I hadn't been expecting company, but it might be nice to escape the depressive cycle of thoughts. After stressing the whole last week over ceding my position with the family over to Shirou, getting to know my (new?) brother would (probably) be good. Fun even.
The phone rang seven times before Mom answered.
"Hi Mom." I could hear voices in the background.
"Hi honey." Mom sounded distracted. "No. No, that wont work. Your numbers are way off, run them again. One moment…" her voice drifted away from the phone; the slight distortion I recognized as the receiver being tucked into her shoulder. "I'm back. Oh, I'm sorry baby."
I hadn't even had the chance to tell her. She must have assumed.
"Takami…" Shirou sighed next to me, pinching his nose, but I ignored him.
"Oh? It's that time?" Mom sounded surprised. "Listen Minato, we can talk later. In the meantime, since you're not actively studying full time anymore, I'll have to cut your allowance. We can talk about it more next time I see you. I said run them again! You know how to count right? I asked if you knew how to fucking count!"
The dial tone rang as the line disconnected.
"She got the results." I looked at Shirou, looking about the same as I must have. "Takami, I mean. I got it out of her this morning. She already knew the results."
I nodded. "You said you were buying?" That offer, if it was still good, would help if Mom was cutting my spending money. I'd have to look for a part time job again, but that wasn't unusual. Maybe not now, but when the weather turned there would be a lot more openings.
"Yeah. Let's stop by the store after," he wordlessly inquired the direction and I started to lead us away, "We'll get you some good groceries for meals."
That was… "Thanks." Unnecessary, but appreciated.
"Hey, Minato!" Another voice called over the din of the crowd of would-be students. "Minato, wait up man!"
I quickly looked around for whoever was calling out to me, but I couldn't see anyone. It could be another Minato, but everywhere I looked all I saw were milling applicants. Shirou didn't have such a problem apparently, as I felt his fingers grip the top of my head and aim me in the direction of the shouts. I felt like a child again, but in a good way. I think? Hey, wait a minute! I wasn't that much shorter than he was!
It was pretty uncomfortable though, as he literally turned my head towards the young man running through the crowd to us.
"Yasaka?" I asked, recognizing my exam prep classmate. Yasaka was a repeat offender like I was: someone who failed his first time trying to get into university. He had light brown hair and was dressed to impress. Instead of casual (warm) clothes, he stood apart from the rest of the gathered students by wearing a well-pressed pair of suit pants and button up shirt with the top few buttons unfastened.
"Yo!" Yasaka jogged up to us, panting slightly after having fought through the crowd. "So, did you make it, mate?"
"Ah, um… no, I didn't make it this time either." I admitted shamefully, "Did you get in?"
"Not at all!" He laughed, a hand at the back of his head. I wish I had the ability to just laugh off failure like that, but I guess that was Yasaka's power; to play serious things off light. He was an easy going individual, even if he did come off as flakey at times. I guess that's what made it easy to get along with him, even if I wouldn't consider us good friends.
Still, judging from his clothes he was doing well for himself despite not passing.
"Is this a friend of yours, Minato?" Shirou asked, startling me.
"Ah! Yes, this is my friend, Yasaka. Yasaka, I'd like you to meet Shirou."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Yasaka." Shirou gave a slight bow, "I was going to take Minato to lunch and shopping, but if the two of you would like to talk more, you're more than welcome to join us."
"Thanks for the offer, bro," Yasaka looked at us, "but I've got to get to work. Sides, I wouldn't want to interrupt or anything…"
"Interrupt?" Interrupt what? "Wait, you already have a job?"
"Yup!" Yasaka responded. "It's a pretty recent development actually. I work at a host club." A host club? I had noticed that Yasaka always maintained an impeccable dress code. It also explained why he was dressed in a button up and dress pants while most everyone else was in coats and sweaters. "It's not time to open yet or anything, but I was going to meet up with my Sempai Kagari. He's been taking great care of me and showing me the ropes. How's yours treating you?"
"Oh, um… Shirou's my brother." I felt bad, but it was a little funny watching Yasaka turn pink at the misunderstanding.
"You know," Shirou came to Yasaka's rescue, "It wouldn't be an imposition on me if you two want to keep talking." He glanced at me, giving me the option of an out. "We can walk with you to your job and find something to eat after?"
"Sure," If it was with Yasaka, it wouldn't be so bad, I suppose. Not since he was in the same boat I was. "That works for me. Yasaka?"
"Sweet!" Yasaka cheered, leading the three of us away and further into the city. "I can introduce you to my sempai."
"I didn't know you had a brother, Minato." Yasaka leaned over, talking quietly as he and I walked abreast with Shirou languidly picking up the rear down the sidewalk.
"It's… also a recent development." I deferred. "So, what does being a host club member entail?"
"Well, for the most part I just pour drinks and make conversation. Kagari-sempai has this really cool trick where he'll light a client's cigarette without a lighter! He's been really helpful in teaching me some stage and conversation tricks and mixology," Yasaka gushed. It was the most interested or animated I'd ever seen him. "He's been really supportive of me and he's so handsome and smart."
Suddenly, I noticed Shirou stiffen from the corner of my eye. Yasaka didn't seem to notice as he kept on walking and talking.
"The work isn't too bad." Yasaka continued, "Sometimes it can get a bit annoying, but more and more I find motivation in getting to see – Kagari-sempai?" Yasaka froze, heat creeping up his neck.
"Yo." A new voice broke in. Smooth. Confidant, but reigned in a lazy drawl. "Are these friends of yours Yasaka-kun?"
The speaker was only a few feet away, walking the opposite way down the sidewalk to intercept us. He had close cropped light gray hair that framed his face and wore a very expensive white silk shirt and black pants, over which he had an open black jacket. He had a welcoming smile on his face, what Yukari would have called a national treasure. Kagari was 100% bishonen; angular face and a slim but fit body just shy of androgynous.
He was also the target of Yasaka's embarrassed stare. I could see how he'd be a successful host, even if that thought was a slightly uncomfortable one… but he was ridiculously attractive.
If Kagari had overheard Yasaka (and it was hard to imagine he hadn't), he didn't acknowledge it.
"Ah, how are you, sir?" Yasaka bowed, recovering.
"Yasaka, please, how many times have I said you don't need to do that." Kagari tried to wave off Yasaka's formality. "We're coworkers, yeah? Besides, we aren't at the club yet so relax. I'm glad I caught you before shift. Something came up and I'm calling off."
"Aww, you are? I was looking forward to… learning more tonight." Yasaka said, dejected. "Are you okay? You aren't sick, are you?"
"No," The handsome man chuckled. "Something personal just came up I need to deal with. Shouldn't be any trouble, but it might take longer than I'd like. Wanted to make sure I caught up with you first, so you heard it from me."
Yasaka did find a good sempai. Professional and personably considerate.
"You've got a good sempai, Yasaka." Shirou spoke my thoughts aloud.
Kagari's eyes flickered back to us, taking us in for the first time when –
"Urk!" His eyes widened, a surprised, panicked expression on his face as he started to choke.
"Kagari-sempai!" Yasaka managed to catch him as he staggered, doubling over. "Are you okay?"
I moved forward to help steady him as well when a hand latched onto my shoulder, planting my feet to the ground and preventing me from moving even as Kagari tensed and jerked away.
Was… did the temperature rise? For a moment I swore I felt the warm kiss of a bonfire on my skin before Shirou pulled me behind him.
"Who…who are you?" Kagari tried to recover. His cheeks held a faint dusting of red from coughing as Yasaki helped stabilize him.
"What was that? Are you sure you aren't coming down with something?" Yasaka fretted over the other man, getting him back to his feet. "Maybe it's a good thing you're calling out…"
"Sorry, I was just… surprised." Kagari didn't look to well, despite his denials. His face was definitely looking a bit flush and beads of sweat started to dot his brow. "You um… you never introduced your friends."
"Right!" Yasaka still looked unsure but was willing to humor the older man. "This is my friend from school. Minato Sahashi and his older brother, Shirou Sahashi." (I ignored Shirou's aborted sigh at the naming convention)
"Sahashi?" Kagari trailed off, staring.
"Is that a problem?" Shirou's words were on the stern side of harsh. I could feel through the arm latched down on my shoulder that Shirou was tense, like his whole being was wrought from steel.
Something in his tone must have registered with Kagari because… wow. Being a host must be physically demanding. The thin clothes he wore for hosting did nothing to conceal the sculpted tone of his arms and torso.
"Are… what are you two doing?" Yasaka asked, echoing my own thoughts. For a moment it… looked like the two of them might fight. But that couldn't be right… right? No. Random street fights between strangers was something that happened in Yukari's manga or in America, not real life.
"Ah/Um…" Shirou and Kagari muttered at the same time, both seeming to deflate. It honestly looked a bit silly to me, but they shrugged and relaxed… though Kagari brought up a hand to clutch at his chest.
"Are you okay now, Kagari-san?" I asked diplomatically, still unsure of what just happened.
"Yes… yes, thank you. Sorry, you caught me off guard." Kagari addressed me, still looking faintly red. "Maybe I'm coming down with something afterall… It was nice meeting you both, but I think I'm going to go home for now."
We exchanged stilted goodbyes, Kagari walking away with Yasaka trailing after him. As we watched, I could hear Yasaka badgering him if he was really okay, slowly getting lost in the rest of the noise on the street.
"So… that was… uh…" I trailed off.
"Yeah… weird." Shirou didn't take his eyes off the two of them. There was a serious look in his eyes and I could catch what I was confirming to be a twitch in his hands. It was only once the two turned a corner that he relaxed and smiled at me.
Had I not seen it, had I not been looking for it… I might not have noticed or believed it… but I think there was something up with Shirou. I didn't understand how he could swap from seeming so friendly and kind-hearted to being ready to… to what? Fight a complete stranger?
That made no sense but… I think my earlier thought on there being two (or more?) sides to Shirou was correct. Which was the more real version of him though? The returned-from-the-dead older brother Shirou, who was empathetic, kind and helpful…
…Or the intense, dangerous and steely Shirou I just saw a glimpse of?
I wasn't sure and that worried me.
*Shirou*
Lunch was at a small café not far from where we parted ways with Minato's friend and his… companion. The food was good enough; it was the right combination of filling and tasty for the price point, but the lunch itself was more subdued than I had intended.
Minato, I assumed, was dwelling on his performance this morning and despite my desire to help him… I found myself distracted by the lingering 'scent' of smoke. It tainted the meal with the taste of unpleasant memories.
Normally, anything that reminded me of the tragedy of Fuyuki or half a dozen losses was enough to sour my mood but…
For some reason this was worse than normal. When Kagari did… whatever he did, whatever magecraft he almost directed towards Minato was familiar. Though smoke was the stronger scent – and a possible clue as to the nature of the man's magecraft – there was another scent buried under it that I had become disturbingly familiar with over the past month.
… the smell of honey.
Kagari smelled just like Karasuba.
The thought was unsettling… the main contributor to my dour mood. As an individual, even if a unique and unidentifiable one, Karasuba was still only a single outlier and could be ignored (or not, apparently). Whatever she was could have been the product of a new ritual, or crossbreeding, or something novel but ultimately explainable. That she worked for a major pharmaceutical company in the area was a clue to her possible origin and reason to leave her existence alone.
But now I had confirmation that there was another like her. Worse, one not tied to the dubious company that employed my gray-haired stalker. It was sheer luck whatever this offshoot, or whatever they were, manifested in Japan. The lands of the East were generally overlooked by the Mage Association and the Church, baring significant events like the former Grail Wars and the like.
However… if there were more of them… if word got out or if they were discovered to be useful or magically potent… then there was precious little to prevent the magical organizations or families from snatching them off the streets to whatever cages or operating tables lay in store for them.
Such a scramble for fresh new materials wasn't without precedent. Nor were they historically without bloodshed either…
"Are you ready to go shopping?" I stood up with a sigh. I shouldn't borrow problems. I had enough of my own that I shouldn't go diving into this mystery and let it remain just that.
...Like I could. Hypocrite. When the blades were out, I'd put my back against those caught in the impending conflict. That my newly discovered relatives were among those who would be caught in the crossfire made it more complicated.
"Yeah." Minato replied. "Thanks again for the meal."
As we packed our things I could feel – like gears slowly starting to grind the rust off – that my peaceful (if not entirely wanted) vacation was about to come to a swift and violent end.
"I don't know the area, so I'll follow your lead this time." I said, missing Fuyuki. I had memorized all the good stalls for downtown's markets and had good relations with the vendors. It was a small thing, but the thought of besting a new group of strange sellers to get the best bargain brought a smile to my face.
"There's a corner mart not too far away." Minato said. "It's pretty good, especially for a budget."
"We can look there as a start then." I accepted his consideration, but I had some savings since I hadn't had to pay for my stay in the city thus far. "But I want to check the other stalls as well. Cheap food can be improved both in health and taste with the right quality ingredients."
"You don't have to do that, Shirou." I wouldn't say he pouted, but it was a near thing. "I'll be fine, you know."
"Be that as it may, indulge me." I reached over to ruffle his head, but he ducked away, jogging a few paces out of my greater reach. "Cooking is a hobby of mine, after all. I quite enjoy both it and shopping. If you want, I can show you some of my easy recipes that are good when you're on your own?"
"If it beats plain noodles." The hint of a grin appeared on his face.
"Oh, trust me." The arrogant affectation I took on was all Archer. "Let me introduce you to the world of spices."
As if summoned by the thought of that red-clad specter of misfortune, a burst of the honey scented magic tinged the air.
Shit, I hated being right, I growled, trying to identify who and where the release came from. If I was lucky, it would pass us by and–
Fuck!
The source was rapidly getting closer and stronger. I didn't see anything. Left? No, just pedestrians. Right? We were next to a building face between two alleys – possible. Front? Clear. Behind? No, that just left–
"Shirou, wha–"
"Kyaaa! Please get out of the way!"
Minato and I looked up at the perfect moment to catch a red and white blur in the shape of a girl plummeting towards us. If I hadn't been ready for it, the definition of 'catch' would have been 'carried to the ground and splattered over the pavement,' but I was able to grab Minato and pull us out of the way of being struck by the girl-shaped meteor.
"Owiee…" The girl cried into the pavement.
I was surprised she was still alive. At the speed she fell, she should have splattered herself across the pavement. At the very least, she would have cracked and powdered the concrete. Instead, she somehow managed to catch herself on her hands and knees (and face) with no lasting marks.
That meant my assumption of Karasuba being more durable than a normal human was on the mark. Unfortunately, it also meant that durability was probably shared amongst all of the strange inhumans.
"Are you alright?" Minato used my distraction to break free of my hold, rushing to help the downed girl.
"Yeah…" She mumbled as Minato got her back on her feet. "As I thought… that was too high to jump from…"
Getting a better look at her, she seemed more traditionally human (or at least Japanese) with her brown eyes and her brown hair framing her face in a princess cut, one long strand escaping the ponytail tied at the base of her neck to hover over her face. Still…
The girl was a strange one. At least, if her fashion sense was any indication (the less said about jumping off buildings, was probably for the better).
Her top was reminiscent of a shrine maiden's outfit, or at least made to very loosely resemble one… or was something she found in a specialty store. The white gi was trimmed with red string and had long sleeves that opened wide at the wrists and was tied by a wide pink obi at her back. She had mid-calf length brown boots with a sizable heel over a pair of white thigh high stockings with red trim matching her gi. The traditional long miko skirt was replaced with a short, belt-like ruffled red skirt that rode high above the hem of her thigh highs. The girl's outfit was… ridiculous. A white gi with red strings decorating it in a fetishist resemblance to a miko's traditional outfit. For some reason… she had elected to top off the rest of her choices by wearing bright pink padding gloves, the kind that professional fighters used to protect their knuckles when training.
…Was she cosplaying?
"Oh!" She grabbed both of Minato's hands in hers, drawing them into (ridiculously sized for her frame) chest and eliciting furious blush from the boy. "You're not hurt are you? I didn't fall on you?"
I snorted, relaxing. That was a far cry from the introduction I got from Karasuba. In contrast, this one seemed... young. Immature in a way that was naturally disarming. Between that and the fact I couldn't get a sense of any buildup of magic from her, outside of whatever she used for the mystery that canceled her momentum, I doubted she was going to be a threat. Plus…
I had to smother my lighter as I watched Minato turn red and stammer from the attentions of a pretty girl around his age (that moments prior she had just flashed him and half the street didn't help).
… My first impression of her was that she was more ditzy than malicious.
"Are you alright, miss?" I asked, stepping forward. Judging from his inability to form a proper response, Minato might appreciate the save.
"Oh! Right, I forgot." She tilted her head in a way that might have been cute had it not coincided with the scent of honey spiking heavily in the air. "I was running away!"
My eye twitched. Never mind, she was dangerous.
A sudden spike of ozone to the mix of honey had my eyes widen.
"Watch out/Get down!" The strange shrine girl and I cried simultaneously. She tackled Minato as I pulled him towards me, ending up with both of them behind me as a bolt of lightning struck the spot where the girl had fallen.
"There's no use in running now! Come on and fight us, coward!" The call came from above once more, as two almost matching women jumped from the rooftops to land not far from our position.
The newcomers were dressed in what could only be described as matching rubber bdsm gear. Their arms and fingers were donned in matching, full length gloves. Skintight shoulder-less tops that zipped up in the front with built in chokers ended at the ribs. Two belts crossed over their otherwise bare stomachs in a parody of suspenders were looped through minimalistic underwear to attach to metal rings holding up heeled thigh high boots.
The women were almost identical twins; tall with long black hair they wore in rough tails going down almost to the waist. The only noticeable difference between the two was that the one who spoke was in a dark blue outfit and had a larger bust than the silent twin in purple.
"Please don't hide behind others." The purple twin's voice was quiet, almost hesitant compared to the more brash one in blue. "We don't want to harm anyone else."
Didn't want to… my teeth grit down to the point I swore I smelt blood. I felt my circuits hum with warmth, the familiar trigger in my mind pulling back. My hands settled on the comfortable weight of hilts that weren't there… yet.
"Walk away." I demanded.
It was broad fucking daylight and they were using flashy lightning-based mysteries in the middle of the street. That they smelled of ozone correlates with the appropriately matching elemental power was thoroughly ignored at the moment in favor of rage.
"You can't tell me what to do!" The blue one growled, shaking a fist at me. A fist that crackled with electricity. That was strike two.
"Hikari, wait." The softer spoken one grabbed her other arm, failing to hold her more aggressive partner back. "Only her. We don't attack people."
Don't. Not can't.
"Shut up." I interrupted whatever more the two were going to say to one another. Did they understand the consequences of their actions? That I, or people like me, would have to clean up such a brazen incident? "You're going to answer my questions and you're going to walk away.
I punctuated my statement by holding both of their gazes. If I had perfected this look back in the Grail War it would have probably made Archer proud… or make him even more of a bastard up to the point I before I rammed several feet of steel into him. It was a face born of a lifetime of seeing hell and living to have nightmares about it later. A face born of the rage felt at the destruction and horror of arriving to the aftermaths of arrogant mages, homicidal apostles, madmen and psychopaths and god damned Kirei Kotomine. This was Rin Tohsaka's 'I'm-so-incredibly-pissed-off-that-the-only-thing-keeping-me-from-killing-you-is-this-smile' face.
"Y-you can't talk to us like that." The about-to-die-first quivered.
"Hikari…" The yet unnamed one whined, hiding behind the other.
"Shrine girl. These two were chasing you?" I didn't take my eyes off the S&M twins.
"Yes!" Said girl nodded enthusiastically, bobbing with the movement. That she hadn't let go of Minato yet, and that her getup apparently had no build in support for her meant that she almost knocked the boy unconscious when she pulled him too close to her chest. "I'm not going to fight until I find my Ashikabi!"
I didn't like the sound of that… but that was a problem for another time. A time where I could corner Karasuba for answers (or Takami). A time where Minato wasn't uncomfortable close to a ground zero I'd need to… sanitize.
"Right." I could end this one of two ways. The first would be messy, but doable. The second… "So you decided to hide in a crowd of people?"
"I didn't hide, I just fell…" The girl was shielding Minato and had pulled him out of the way of the surprise attack. "I didn't mean to!"
"As if!" The one in blue cried, echoed by her purple counterpart saying "Take some responsibility."
"Responsibility?" I interrupted "So then which of you thought it was responsible to start throwing lightning bolts in broad daylight in the middle of the street, when it's packed full of innocent pedestrians?"
"We were being careful!" Hikari puffed up, indignant.
"We missed on purpose," The one in purple started, her tone properly apologetic, "We were careful to avoid hitting anyone else.
Hmm. Stupidity then, not callousness. I could work with that. The public had already started running when Shrine girl did a swan dive into the pavement and without more fighting, the scene was tentatively contained.
"All of you, go home." I took a calming breath. Better to let them leave than to risk a fight spilling out in broad daylight. Especially without solid information about the scope of their abilities. "For your reckless endangerment of others, I should kill all three of you right now." They recoiled at the harshness of my words and tone. "So let this be a warning: whatever you hoped to achieve here is done with."
"Wh-what makes you think…" The blue one started, trying to rally before being gently pulled back by her clearly more levelheaded twin.
"No, he's right." Her eyes flicked upwards. "This is our loss. Let's leave peacefully, right?"
"Dammit." Her counterpart growled before shaking a fist at me, "Don't think we'll forget this!"
I didn't turn away until they were out of sight. Was this a matter to bring up to Takami or Karasuba? Or… was this something I should get myself involved in now, before it blew up and became a bigger problem…
"Hey, Shirou…"
I didn't know. There were too many unknowns in this scenario. Too many ways things could have gone. I think I made the right choice but… I couldn't help but feel it would come back to haunt me.
"Shirou!" I started. Minato was calling me. "Are you okay?"
"Huh," I blinked, "Oh, yes, I'm fine."
Well, it was too late now. All I could do was live with the consequences.
"Thank you so much for saving me!" The shrine girl stuck around? She hadn't let go from when she latched onto Minato trying to save him. "I'm sorry for getting you both involved."
"I-It was nothing, nothing at all," Minato waved off her thanks. I frowned. If those two were going to come back later to restart things, I didn't want him to get too close to the young girl. Still, it was kind of cute to see him developing a crush on the buxom young thing.
Nostalgic… in a way. Still, it would be best if it didn't happen. Encouraging a relationship between him and a magical being would be at cross purposes, especially knowing she had others gunning for her life.
"Ah! I haven't introduced myself!" The girl backed up and bowed, "I'm number 88, Musubi!"
Number 88? I blinked, fighting down the dawning horror. That number had significance to it. Did that mean there were 88 more of her? Or more? I… shit.
"I'm Minato Sahashi," Minato bowed back, oblivious.
"And I'm…" My turn at introductions, even if it was only for the sake of politeness, was cut off by a loud rumbling.
Another attack? No. It sounded more like an animal… like the growling of a bear or something. Musubi took that moment to collapse to her knees holding her stomach.
"Uwah… so hungry…" she moaned pitifully.
"Shirou." Minato looked up at me, expectantly. Ah… fuck. I couldn't help but bury my head in the palm of my hand.
"Alright," I sighed. "If it's alright with you, Musubi, you can come with us. I was about to make dinner after we went grocery shopping."
Now that things had calmed, I noticed the two other scents that had been lingering recede as we left. Still, they were fresh enough to register that one held the faint smell of smoke and ash… and the other of blood.
*Scene Break*
"Gently slice the egg now." I watched as Minato tried to make even cuts, but the whites tore away instead of being sliced. "Its okay if they aren't but depending on how they break can tell you if you didn't cook them enough."
That was the last touch on the homemade ramen. Well, for a definition of homemade. A bit of shredded chicken, some vegetables and some egg on top of premade noodles wasn't exactly made from scratch, but it wasn't cup noodle. I filled three bowls of noodles with the broth containing the meat and vegetables, handing them to Minato to top with egg and bring to the table where our guest was finishing up.
Musubi was… well, the girl was a monster. There was no other explanation for it. She was an existence, tailor made (by MBI? Some remorseless God? A cruel and unfeeling universe?) to eliminate completely and utterly anything and everything put before her. A peerless existence, the sole act of sating her only desire.
"Wow! This is so good, mister Shirou!" Musubi cried from the table, already tucking into this new batch. The unfoldable kotatsu set in the middle of what passed for a living room in the small, one bedroom apartment was already littered with the remains of her one-woman massacre on our groceries.
It was like feeding Saber all over again, I thought with a smile.
Problematic, since the food she'd already gone through I had thought would tide Minato over for the rest of the week, but nostalgic. With a shrug, I refilled the pot with more chicken stock and gathered the already staged and prepped ingredients for the fourth batch.
With any luck, Minato and I might be able to have some of this one. I'd have to take him shopping again later.
"I'm glad you like it, Musubi!" I called out to the walking food apocalypse. "Are you feeling better now that you've eaten?"
"Oh, yes!" The girl nodded, patting her hopefully full stomach. "Thank you so much for saving me back there. First rescuing me from those evil Sekirei and now this? You two are so kind."
"Sekirei?" As in a wagtail? Interesting that they were named after birds, if I was understanding correctly. My initial thought of Karasuba being an experimental one-off from MBI was looking less likely now that I'd met more than just her. "That's an interesting name. Does that mean that you're a Sekirei too?"
"Yup!" Musubi swelled with pride. "I'm number 88, Musubi! Oh, but um… the professor said I shouldn't tell anyone but my Ashikabi about that." Damn. I suppose she wasn't as scatterbrained as she looked. Not to say she wasn't nice. Well meaning, if slightly klutzy. I was hoping she'd let something slip to a friendly face, however.
Still… Professor? So, did that mean the weird creature was the result of experimentation? Part of a series at that…
"Really? I'd like to know more." Minato, bless him, chimed in inquisitively. When Musubi flushed and turned towards him, I knew we had a winning gambit. "What's an Ashikabi? I don't think I've heard that term before."
"Ah, well." Musubi faltered, wiggling in indecision. "Oh, I suppose if its you, Minato, I can tell you. My Ashikabi is the most important person in the world!"
"Ah… like a boyfriend then." Minato wilted. Oof. I could see the poor boy's heart break in real time. "I didn't… I'm sorry we're keeping you from him then."
"But you saved me! I don't know what I'd do if you hadn't found me." Musubi leaned into him with her shoulder. "Its thanks to you I can keep searching!"
"That sounds a little above my head." I lied. I didn't like the shape of that at all. "Is that related to why those rubber clad girls were chasing you?"
"Right, those mean looking sisters." Minato muttered. "They were pretty scary."
"Those meanies!" The girl pouted… or fumed? It was a mix of the two, really. "I finally got to explore the city and start my search, but somewhere in one of my jumps I must have lost my MBI card." MBI card? So they were involved after all. "When I went back to look for it, those two attacked me just because I don't have my wings yet." Musubi worked herself up, at first metaphorically, then literally as she stood. "But by the time I lost them it was dark and I didn't have any money so I couldn't find anywhere to sleep. I was really hungry too, after running so much. So this morning I thought 'Musubi! You can find your Ashikabi even faster if you can see more! Once you find him you can go eat!' it was perfect. So I jumped really, really high again."
"But it might have been too high I think, since I wasn't sure how to land." She deflated with her story, slumping onto the table. "And I landed in front of those evil Sekirei again and had to run. Thankfully I ran into you, Minato! You really saved me."
There was… a lot to unpack in her million word a second story. She was very energetic, to the point that it was hard to understand some of her story.
"But now I can search again." Musubi trailed off, her eyes lidding a bit as she slumped towards Minato. All the food (and her excitement) must have finally gotten to that blackhole she called a stomach.
Wait… Was it my imagination or…
"You know… I kinda wish…" She started, crowding into Minatos space. "You could be my Ashikabi…"
Was the scent of honey… blooming? Shit! I fucked up!
"Minato." Musubi pressed forward, charged with mana. I leapt over the table, too slow to stop her from kissing him. I Traced Kanshou, the black Chinese falchion appearing in an instant as I dove, driving the sword towards her unprotected back as the creature pulled Minato to her.
You absolute idiot! You let your guard down because she looked cute and cuddly and innocent! Again!
A flash of light blinded me, just before a burst of light and mana sent me flying. I slammed into the far wall, the cheap construction denting under me. Kanshou's shattered pieces landed somewhere else. I rolled up on one knee, as replacement copy of Kanshou and its white twin Byakuya in each hand.
"Minato!" That airhead played us like a fiddle. In front of me, however, wasn't the scene I expected.
Instead of Musubi crouching, red lipped over Minato's still form, growling out with crimson eyes… she was kissing him. Musubi leaned over him, pinning Minato to the floor, their lips locked, and I could smell wafts of honey scented mana flow from the brilliant pink wings that erupted from her back like an angel.
…Or a bird. Sekirei.
"I've found it… my Ashikabi." Musubi pulled away from him just long enough to mutter. "Forever and ever."
The brilliant wings that saved her life and doomed Minato's faced, but I didn't move. Something about those words caused a cold pit to form in my stomach. That sounded… that felt like the end of a magical contract.
"Minato, answer me." The twin noble phantasms faded back into my soul. "Are you okay?"
This scenario was uncomfortably familiar. There were too many coincidences over the past month. Too many little reminders of the past I failed to bury behind me. If I killed her… what would happen to him? Or worse, would I be able to? I could feel her magic suffusing the air, choking it in the aftermath of whatever she did.
Whatever conclusion I would have come to was interrupted by the sound of a phone ringing.
"Gah!" Minato, alive (but the 'and well' to be determined) yelped, inadvertently pulling Musubi down on top of him as his pants vibrated.
"Ah! Minato! So soon?" Musubi cried, making no effort to help. Minato struggled between groping for his phone trapped in his pocket underneath the girl straddling him and trying not to grope the giggling girl who had his head entrapped between her generous endowments.
"No, Musubi! The phone! Let me get the phone!" Their struggle was beginning to shift clothing (mostly but not entirely hers) to the verge of indecency.
I sighed, feeling the opportunity and necessity of killing the girl fade. This wasn't a scene I should be seeing, either as an older brother or a stranger. How would Taiga have reacted to this… Right. Violence. Ilya?
"Ara." I cleared my throat, reminding the grappling pair that they still had company and a ringing phone. "Can't even wait until I'm out of the house, Minato?" Musubi might be a bit vapid and may have just bound my little brother into a magical contract of unknown purpose and type… but she did seem to like him. Plus there was a certain novelty in being on the other side of this sort of interaction that I took the moment to bask in. "What a fiend of a brother I have."
It would have been a better fit for Rin or even Yukari, but I shrugged (mentally). Misplaced aggression, thy name is Emiya.
"You could be helping!" Minato yelped. Eventually he was able to round a few bases and come away with the phone in his hand, an act that stopped the unintentionally dirty and definitely funny struggle.
"You seemed to have it well in hand." I suffered a glare for that.
"Aww, that's it?" Musubi sounded more than vaguely disappointed. My eye twitched and I looked away at her state of dress (or lack there of). That skirt really was little more than a ruffled belt and protected her modesty about as much.
"Who could be calling at this hour? Minato mumbled, half to himself, he flipped open the phone. Who is this?"
"Dun dudu daaaa!" the voice on the other end yelled, echoing in the small room. It sounded like they were trying to imitate the winning bell from a television show or maybe the victory theme of a video game. "Congratulations! You were magnificently chosen to be the partner of a Sekirei!"
Chosen? Partner?
Musubi was number 88. Sekirei 88. The good humor I had been trying to cultivate withered and died, leaving only rage and disbelief in its wake.
No… we… it couldn't be starting again. Rin and I… we ended it, didn't we? A magical contract between a person and a magical being. I was frozen, too stunned to respond as the person on the phone kept talking.
"Oh, well if it isn't number 88. Are you doing well, Musubi-chan?" The man on the other end asked the excitable girl.
"Oh yes, professor!" The professor! "My Ashikabi is very nice!" Musubi jumped, latching onto Minato and causing him to drop the phone.
"Ah! What happened? Hello?" The man yelled as the phone clattered across the floor to rest at my feet.
"Hello." I picked it up with trembling hands, putting it to my ear. "The phone dropped. We're still here."
"Don't you mean, 'you're all ear'? I can barely see anything past your head!" I winced at the volume, pulling the phone away from my head. Was it on speaker? Wait… there was a strange, white haired man on the oversized display. He was wearing a (clearly) custom tailored suit underneath a long white coat. The lapels and collar were popped up framing his head like it was still the 2000s. He looked utterly ridiculous and, with the strange grin dominating his face, more than a little creepy.
At first, I thought it was a weird anime character or something. I knew that smart phones could have backgrounds and such, but I hadn't held something more advanced than a burner in years. But then the man in the phone waved.
"Ichirou-kun?" The still unfamiliar name froze the glass that was my heart. I tensed so much that I could feel the phone in my hand groan in protest. There were a only a handful of people alive who knew that name and my face. "Well, I suppose Karasuba will be disappointed."
How…As Shirou Emiya, I would have expected it. Despite my best efforts, I was well known among certain circles of the Clock Tower. A long time ago, it may have been as Rin's pet, but since those days I'd made both friends amongst my fellow Enforcers and enemies of various and sundry. But he didn't call me Shirou. He called me Ichirou. How the hell did he know that name?
"So which of you was it?" The – no, who the fuck was he – asked. "Did you or Minato wing our dear Musubi?"
I'd never heard his voice in my life but… his stupid stab-able face looked so familiar. Who was he? The only thing that linked the people who knew that name was Takami and…
"How do you know our names?" Minato asked, disentangling himself from Musubi, "And on that note, how did you get this number?"
…and MBI. It clicked into place. Gears moving in tandem. I felt the heat thrum through me.
"He works for MBI, Minato." The man's eyes were shrewd now that I was looking for it, and they locked right onto to my own. In my time in the city, I'd seen, met or had gotten to know (was stalked) by several MBI employees. Most of these people were Takami, Karasuba, and the various suited security members that made my security detail before they figured I wasn't a flight risk.
However, with MBI being a major (if not the major) economic power in the city, there was one person in the company who I hadn't met but had become passingly familiar with his image. If I ignored the gaudy coat, the man bore a resemblance to a figure strewn across morning talk shows and bus advertisements.
"I wouldn't think that we would warrant a call from Minaka Hiroto, CEO of Mid Bio Informatics." I spoke (growled, more like) my realization aloud. Minato gasped as it struck him too. "Unless… Is Taka –"
"I'm only calling on behalf of our beautiful number 88." Minaka interrupted me. Right. Takami, for some reason, kept quite about where she worked to her kids. How close was he to her that he knew that? More specifically, he knew that and was watching me to make sure I didn't spill something I shouldn't have. "Given the scene I'm looking at… congratulations Minato. Ishirou-kun, I have an important announcement for Minato-kun. Very top secret, you know? Very hush-hush. I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave the room."
"No." I refused. If the parallels continued… Minaka Hiroto would be Minato's Kotomine Kirie: the man who explained the rules and stipulations of the death game. Hopefully things would work out better for Minato than it did for me and he wouldn't have to kill Minaka at the end of things…That was, assuming I was right, and unfortunately, my luck was too terrible to be wrong.
"Whatever it is you're going to say to Minato, I think I've enough exposure to warrant the full story. If not, I hope you have a tight contract waiting or I'll bribe Karasuba into telling me later." That was my card, but was it enough to bring him to the table?
"You know Karasbua-sempai?" Musubi gasped, ignored in favor of glaring down the gaudy man on the other side of the line.
"Oho! Well played!" He clapped, neither his eyes or smile shifted in the slighted. I…shit, I had to admit I couldn't get a solid read on the eccentric man. Was the poker face he needed to be CEO that good? "I have been hearing promising things about you from our lovely number 04, so I suppose its only fair that you be introduced to the Sekirei Plan as well."
There it was…
"There are 108 Sekirei that have been set free all over the city." Minaka continued. 108? That many? "These Sekirei with each find their Ashikabi and together they will fight and fight and fight and fight!"
"Fight and fight and fight!" Musubi cheered along with the final chorus, her gloved hands pumping the air.
"The Ashikabi of the last remaining Sekirei standing will then be given permission to ascend." Minaka finished, striking a pose with both arms spread wide as if delivering a revelation.
"Mr. Hiroto, I would think that you'd have more important things than to crank call people, Mr. Hiroto." Minato deadpanned. "Shirou, hang up."
I nodded, shifting my thumb over to kill the call. Yes. A prank. An awful, awful prank. There was no secret war in Shin Tokyo. Those things were over with on this side of the world after what happened to the last one.
"No! Wait! Don't hang up!" Minaka flailed in panic. I stilled my thumb. I wanted, wanted this to be just a joke. "I can assure you that this is no prank. You are hereby part of a larger game whether you choose it or not. I suggest you take it seriously if you want to win."
Win? No. survive.
"Fight and fight and fight and fight." I said derisively, quoting him. "So this Sekirei Plan is a battle royal until only one pair remains?"
"That's the gist of it." He nodded enthusiastically. "More will be revealed later when all of the Sekirei find their partners."
"What are the rules of engagement?" My focus sharpened, forcing all other thoughts aside. I could be angry, would be angry, later. "Is there a boundary to the combat zone? What are the conditions for victory?" If there was going to be another War… I wasn't going to let it be another Fuyuki. "Permission to ascend? What do you mean by that? Who is proctoring engagements, MBI?"
"Ohohoho!" Minaka started laughing, cutting off any further line of questions. "What luck! It really is a shame you're not the one I get to call to introduce to the game Ichirou-kun. I'd expect interesting things from you. That said, it' still early so maybe you'll Wing a little bird of your own!"
I tasted blood.
"As to your other questions… you'll have to ask Musubi. It wouldn't be fair to tell you anything I didn't tell the other contestants. Oh, and remember: this is all a secret, so tell anyone and we'll have to come after you. Good luck Musubi and Minato-kun!"
The line went dead in my hand.
"Fuck…" I whispered.
"This isn't real, right?" Minato collected his phone from me before I could continue crushing it. "Musubi?"
"Yay! Minato, lets to our best, yeah?" The girl was oblivious to the mood. "With you I'm definitely going to win!"
"Musubi, be serious." Minato gently chided. "Shirou, what did you mean by… I don't remember all of your questions? Musubi, can you…"
"Can I what?" She tilted her head. "I stopped listening after fight and fight!"
Airhead! It was too much to ask for another Saber, a partner who knew the system inside and out… so fine. I'd have to be the Saber this time.
"No. Stay here." I stated, tone dead serious. "Don't leave the apartment. Don't answer the door. Don't do anything until I call you."
"W-what?" Minato yelped.
"Aww, but how do we win then?" Musubi pouted.
"I'm stepping out." There was someone I could go to, even if I dreaded it. A source that might actually know something useful. "I'll get answers and come back. For now, treat anyone you don't know as a hostile."
"Isn't that an exaggeration?" I heard Minato call after me, but I was already out the door.
I needed a walk. Time to cool my head. I needed to think. To Plan. I needed time and…
…I needed to find Karasuba now.
*End Chapter*
Chapter Omake because I play too much (Read: not enough) Metal Gear:
"Minato, Wait." Shirou's gruff voice stopped me. He really needed to lay off the smoking. "Before you go, take this with you."
He held out his sword to me.
"Your sword?" I took the European style sword by the hilt, hands resting comfortable under its golden cross guard. I'd never used a sword before. "But wont you need this?"
Shirou snorted, a small plume of smoke escaping his nose from the cigarette held in the corner of his mouth.
"Don't worry." He gestured to a black headband wrapped around his forehead. The cloth was emblazoned with the figure of a black-haired girl in a red shirt and a (short) black skirt angrily shaking a fist full of jewels. "I've unlimited mana."