ShipTeaser

  I looked down at the sleeping girl, her usual pigtails untangled, her hair a loose brown halo around her. Hooked up to these many strange maes, which beeped and whirred softly, ss dispying strange lines, I still did not quite uand what they were all for, although havihe devices in a number of anime, I uood they were medical in nature. Well, now that everyone is out of danger, I surely focus on healing. Stifling a yawn, I turo the other person in the room, the sombre-looking Hikawa Hiroto, and barked an order at him.

  “You should turn away. It is not-not fitting for someoo see what I am about to do. She is a young female, after all.”

  “Oh, of course. My apologies.” He muttered, his gaze flickering to some of the other beds in the room. He was haggard and pale, aen did not respond to versation. Of course, it is quite easy to uand why. In two of the other beds, y his daughters, the twins Chiaki and Chiasa, both heavily sedated and sleeping. A fourth bed held anirl, a dark-skinned shrine maiden who was likewise brutalised, and in the room y his son, Ren.

  I must fess, I did not think much of Ren. He is rather weak and arrogant. He reminds me a little too muy old self, impressed with bloodlines, having no real achievements. But now… as I lifted up the hem of the pin white gown Keomi, the injured little girl, was wearing, I clicked my tongue, irritated at the state of her leg. No, he did well esg, even if the Kijo let him go to lure in more prey. In the end, his sisters, and the other two, they were saved. Though the cost was grim…

  “How… how is it?” Hiroto asked, and I answered him impatiently, aether fring within me as I started to work Ether Healing, iiher into her chakra wuiding it to the right areas, as well as simultaneously using Chirurgery to remove the remaining lingering traces of darkness element that olluting her wounds. This is difficult work. Still, I do not wish to lose to Akio in this. After all, I have my pride!

  “Well, fortunately we were not-not too te.” I said, as the twisted leg began thten, the bone ing together. Sweat dripped from my brow as I worked, but even so, it was satisfying to see the wounds heal. Her chest wounds had already been closed, now mere jagged lines of ugly scarring. As a female, I was very sensitive to such things, but making sure no sting injuries were left behind was more important than mere etic work. Though ter, we will surely se sujuries too. But first es safety. “Not-not for Keomi and your daughters, at least.”

  Chiasa was the best off out of all of them. She had suffered the most numerous injuries, but they were all desigo torture, to wound, rather than kill, so after a little Healing, she was resting peacefully. Her sister Chiaki was far worse off, her wounds deep and cruel. I had healed the serious damage to her lungs where she had been pierced, but they were still fragile, and she also had broken limbs, in worse states than Keomi’s. I have stabilised them though, so with further work, they shall recover. It would be a shame for them to die now, their gift is precious, when bined with Haru’s, it work many wonders.

  The same could not be said for the st oct though. The small, dark-skinned girl from Hoeruokami shrine arently shattered by the ordeal. Her face was bandaged, c her missing eyes, which were currently beyond my skill tee, and her mind had colpsed, leaving her delirious and terrified. Perhaps in time, with care, she shall recover. But Ether healing ot soothe the mind…

  “I’m so gd.” Hiroto pushed a hand to his chest in relief. “If anything happeo my children… no, it’s already happened, hasn’t it?” his voice cracked. “Thank you, Shaeu. For saving my kids.” Ren was in another room, it not being appropriate for injured males and females to be together, especially younger ones.

  “I simply did what we o do.” I shook my head, w the remainder of my Healing. Keomi’s small body trembled, but she was uo wake due to the ahetic. “They are our students, our allies. To have them perish is not-not something we could allow! Besides, to lose so many females, it is quite-quite the tragedy. Some of them such as your daughters are those I have been keeping my eye on. They would do quite-quite well as Akio’s brides iure, I surmise.”

  Hiroto looked aghast at my reasonable suggestion. “My baby girls? How could you say that? No, I forbid it! They’ll stay…” his voice cracked with emotion as he looked at the twins lying in bed, sedated and covered in bandages, hiding the wounds below. “… no, I’m not letting them get married! It’s too soon! A decade too soon! They are only in middle school, damn it!”

  “Keep your voice low, this is a hospital, is it not-not?” I growled softly, and he paused, embarrassed.

  “Oh, yeah… ah… sorry, my emotions are running wild. I shouldn’t shout at you who saved my children’s lives. It’s just…”

  “Holy, you remind me of my own father, doting, possessive fool-fool that he is. Though I do not-not hate it. I am not-not saying that Akio and your daughters will marry. They have shared no intimao love, little time together, and he has bee strangely stubborn of te, despite many-many seeking closer ties with him through love.” Exhausted, my aether levels low, I sat down in a chair, breathing heavily. “He is also unfortable with younger girls. He is not-not a loli, despite the jokes of his sister. He struggles somewhat with Hinata, finding her perhaps a little too young, despite her being old enough to marry. Girls the age of Eri, or a little younger yet mature-looking like Motoko and Natsumi, those he has no issues with. So the twins, they are not-ering his vision, you see.”

  “That’s a relief. Besides, I wahem to have a normal romance, a normal life… but that isn’t happening, is it?” he said sadly. “Even before, it would have been difficult. Sihey have the ability to unicate with each other with their minds, and tell if someone is lying, finding a det husband would be hard for them.”

  “Well, not-not every worthy female will be his, of course. Even I am not-not so foolish as to expect Akio to have a thousand brides.” I sighed. “My throat is parched. I wish-wish I had some alcohol. I shall have to settle for something else, it seems.” At my words, Hiroto remembered himself, and passed me one of the s of coffee that were on the side table. I cracked the ring-pull, onarvelling at the number of great veniehe mortal realm had to offer, befulping down the lukewarm drink. That is much better. Hmm, Emily did tell me of Irish Coffee, which tains whiskey. That would be a treat about now…

  “Though if the twins do develop feelings for Akio, I would not-not stand in their way, no, I would aid them in winning his heart. He is stubborn, and steadfastly refuses to sider other wives, but I know-know his weaknesses for females and where to strike. Though again, that would be iure, as you say, they are quite-quite young. But even if that never es to pass, the twins must be treasured, protected…” I smiled, but it did not touch my amber eyes, as I was quietly furious at this whole disaster. Many good females and some loyal males lost. Those with precious abilities killed. Eri gravely injured, and Akio’s heart was wouoo. Worse… this will be a catastrophe setting back Akio’s pns tremendously.

  “… their talents are tremendous, they shall surely need-o be harnessed for the good of all. They should not-not be exposed to battle unnecessarily.” My tone was being bitter, angry. “… so tell me, Hiroto. Just as that fool Yamato allowed to pany precious allies in sueedless danger? You were at the meeting before we jouro cve. We had made agreements, had we not-not? You were going to support Akio in his ambitions, you and the other-other fools that made up our allies in Susanoo. Instead, you have put-put everything at risk, and it nearly cost you your children, did it not-not?”

  “… I know.” He slumped down, eyes glistening with tears, and for a moment I felt some passion for him welling within me. After all, my own father and mother made simirly bad choices regardihough it seems my mother was thwarted by those within her own ranks. Though I ot afford much sympathy here.

  “… though if we had uood just what Yamato-sama nning… no, that’s just an excuse.” He looked over at his sleeping daughters. “You must believe me, we have no iion of denying our support for you and Oshiro-san! Or breaking faith! But Yamato-sama is the hope … was the hope…” he said bitterly. Yamato was also in the room, beside Ren, though he would never wake again, most likely. I am not one for vengeance, but his folly was most costly. It was the correct decision to take his Divine Favour. I am surprised that Akio was able to be so ruthless, but even so… I approve. He must learn to harden his heart when it is needed. Now, I wonder, just who will receive the gift? I do not believe Akio will use it himself…

  “… of Susanoo fa. Our family has been with Susanoo for hundreds of years. And it isn’t like Susanoo would be at odds with Oshiro-san. We just didn’t see the harm of making sure Susanoo’s influender this new Ministry was as great as possible, though Izumi-san and Takeyabashi-san have closer ties with you all, so they deed. And so their daughters and granddaughters were spared, apart from that unlucky girl, who was in the wrong pce at the wrong time.” He the sleeping Keomi. “If all went to pn, Yamato-sama would have impressed the younger members of Susanoo, while seg much of Eastern Kyoto there. And Oshiro-san would have lost nothing. Tomorrow at cve, our dues paid to Uchida Ren-sama, we would have then supported Oshiro-san, and everyone would have profited, except for the leaders of Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu. Politically, it erfect move…” his face had twisted into an expression of self-loathing, and once more I felt a little sympathy.

  “Politics. That I do indeed-indeed uand. The Seelie Court is rife with it, and I have many-many headaches. With more likely to e…” Seg a Faerie Ring gate from Primal Forest will cost us. They do owe us, but using up that favour on this is… wasteful. “Perhaps we were at fault a little too, for not-not adequately expining the dangers. Though we certainly advised the Boundary was far-far from safe. Even so… the result, it has been quite horrific, has it not-not?”

  “It has.” He was crestfallen. “It could have been so much worse, though. Yamato-sama, he reached out to others. The ral shrines deed, seeing no be in bolstering Susanoo, when they had already cast their lot in with you. But… Yamato-sama also approached the granddaughters of Takakura-sama. Fortuhey were busy or deed, but if they had been injured or worse, even as a branch family, the fallout would have been a disaster, pitting the faith against nobility, severing our one e to the other pilrs…”

  “Worse would have been had Eri died.” I decred, ae his grief, Hiroto had the grace to look guilty.

  “Yes, she… she was hurt very badly, wasn’t she? How… how is Oshiro-san taking it?”

  “Not-not well, as you would surely expect.” I admitted. “Though fortuhe worst was avoided. It made him feel quite-quite helpless, that he was uo aid Eri in her hour of greatest need. It truly was not-not his fault, the Hyakki Yagyō are sly, but … well, you know how he adores her. I would be most-most jealous, if I did not-not know he adores me too. I also adore Eri. Had she perished, uo be restored to us… well, all of those involved in such a foul-foul mess would have surely faced our wrath.” I stretched, finishing the coffee. “Well, I must-must tihere shall be little rest for me this night, I do fear.” Padding over to the poor, blinded girl, I growled in annoyance as my flows of aether once more failed trow her savaged eyes. I should be able to make this work. After all, the mass and size of an eye is no greater than the flesh I am regeing or bone repairing in other pces. Perhaps it is a matter of mi? As I worked, Hiroto tio speak.

  “Even now, te into the night, people are meeting. The head of Tsukuyomi… well, ex-head, I guess, sidering.” He amended. “Takakura-sama, the noble Lady Divihe Priestess of Ise, Saionji-san, Bankei-sama… everything is in turmoil. I… I don’t know if those remaining trai the school from the ral shrines will stay. I’m sorry, we messed everything up…”

  “Oh, cease your apologies. They will not-not resolve anything now.” I snapped. “I would be disappointed, were they to leave, after putting much-much effort iraining, but perhaps that would be for the best. The school shall be reformed uhe Ministry Akio has pnned, and now all know the risks and the dangers, as well as the rewards, well, we shall-shall raise a new, loyal crop of the worthy. Though…” I turo him, my gaze fierce. “Your daughters ahey shall remain with us. I do not-not decre they ever have to fight again, but their skills, we shall not-not let them lie wasted…”

  “… I ’t make that decision for them. I’ve already made a severe mistake. Thank all the kami that my wife isn’t here in Kyoto to see this, though… I’ll have to tell her. She’s from another shrine family, but didn’t attend cve as her elder brother is heir to the shrine. I just… from now on, I’m going to prioritise their needs. But if they agree, I won’t stop them.”

  “I see. Well, your daughters do seem-seem the sort to repay gratitude with favour, and Ren… he has proved himself braver than I believed, and no doubt-doubt he knew. Now, be silent. I have to work. Your children, they are out-out of danger, so let me work in peace!”

  ********

  “Poor Keomi-, the stupid idiot. Trust her to get involved in such a foolish thing.” Kana said, looking down on her sleeping cousin, expression grave. I forced a yawn, sunlight leaking through the windows, showing it was now early in the m.

  “I still doly get what is going on here.” The idol, Tamami said. She looked tired, and had ged out of her fshy idol dress into a casual pair of tight jeans and a bck hooded top. “Well, yeah, I know more about shrine busihan most people, being as Kanda-Myojin is a true shrine, but I’ve barely done any mingling at cve. We had our cert to set up.” She sighed. “You know, I’d heard the rumours about the training school, who hadn’t, but… even so…” she frowned. “When that kid from Hikawa-Kawagoe shrine came running up, interrupting our encore, I never expected it could lead to… this.”

  “Yes, I didn’t expect it either.” The third girl said, Suzu, the didate who arently one of those w with this so-called white princess. She was still dressed in her cy bck dress, and had a lollipop in her mouth, which she was sug on, as she looked around at the hospitalised victims with a curious gleam in her blue eyes. “I just came to Kyoto to see the cert, I hought I’d run into the guy the Boss loves, nor the rival Master Raven wao kill so badly. It’s so wild!”

  This one is rather… peculiar. She does not seem to be ed about the injuries or deaths at all, merely seeing it as an amusi for her trip… “Well, the Raven Knight was offered a truce by Akio, and he did not-not wish for it, no? I hardly myself with what that wretch thinks of me!”

  “Oh, harsh!” Suzu giggled. “The Boss, looks like she’s going to be having a hard time. But then, so are you!” she finished her lollipop, before uning another and popping it in her mouth, toying with the stick. “A load of polid what looks like the army turned up, and have blocked off the Imperial Pad this hospital. I don’t think that’s going to be good enough to keep this under s though.”

  “She’s right.” Tamami said. “There were reporters and streamers at my cert, and they saw that kid stagger up all bloody through the crowd. Then there were the bodies taken out of the pace. It really upset Kanako and Tsubame.”

  “They weren’t the only ones.” Kana sighed, reag out to stroke the hair of her cousin, with surprising tenderness. Well, Kana is aertaining, kind female, with excellent talents. Really, Akio is a fool. All he would have to do is reach out, and she would surely be his. Well, males do not ge quickly, I suppose. In time I am sure he will uand her value, and I hope it will not be too te. “Mio- and Asami-, the irls too, they went to sleep g and fearful. Marika-’s mother tried to take her away back to her hometown as soon as she heard about the disaster, but my father stopped her, for now. The ral shrines from the training school are in uproar as well… it’s a real mess.”

  “Well, you seem plenty calm, Kana-.” Suzu observed, pinly amused. “Aren’t you just so brave?”

  “Brave? Hardly.” Kana shrugged, a touch bitterly. “I’m just experienced. When the Yakuza attacked Shirohebizumi shrine, and I thought I was going to be, well… forced into a ge in career after being assaulted, shall we say…” her expression was grim as she remembered. “… that was when I learhe real meaning of fear. But Akio… he saved me then. Just like he saved Keomi-.”

  “I was there too, I must-must insist.” I pined, and Kana wirying to lighten her gloomy fession.

  “I know you were. Eri-san too. It was awful… she was really hurt, right? But she’ll be okay too, otherwise…” she trailed off, somewhat fused by her own feelings, I wagered. Eri and Kana did not get on at all at first, and even now they have a grudging respect for each other, they still have their issues. Too much alike, I fear. “… well, thanks. For saving my idiot cousin. And trying your hardest for the others. I know that the families of the dead might bme Akio, but really, they shouldn’t. He did his best, and even now, you are tht?”

  “Well, if they pin, just toss them aside.” Suzu interjected boldly, despite being an outsider, a potentially dangerous o that. “I’ve been keeping my eyes and ears open while I’ve been here. Got to get the scoop on the guy Boss has the hots for, after all. And from what I gather, it’s all their own fault. It isn’t like you’ve kept it a secret how dangerous the fantasy world is, right?”

  Fantasy world? Quite the puzzling way to describe it. “No, of course we would not-not hesitate to prepare our students for potential danger. Nor would we take them to such-such a dangerous pce as Kyoto seems to be.”

  “There you have it then. Totally not your fault.” Suzu said triumphantly. “In fact, I’m pretty impressed that you mao save any at all. From what I hear, it was really amazing! The Night Parade, the Hyakki Yagyō…” she grinned happily. “That’s more like it! Quintessentially Japanese! No offense, but being a Fae, you and Master Raven, you don’t fit the aesthetic. Although… loving the Kimono!” she smiled. “Oh, you should have takeh you. I’d certainly have been useful, even if I don’t have my bag dancers with me. I’m no weakling! Us idols are stantly doing gruelling training to stay fit and ready for anything, right Tamami-?” she asked the rather fused idol. “After all, we’ll be w together soon enough, Shaeu-!”

  “I… well, idol training is pretty hard. The number of times I run up and down the famous steps at Kanda-Myojin every day is endless. My manager says I should get royalties from that ahat had a simir character… uh, wait, that doesn’t matter right now. Uh, Suzu-san, you want to be an idol?”

  “Want to be? I am an idol, a pure Japanese ohough I have to admit, I’ve not done any certs yet. Maybe I could do a guerril event before your show? And call me Suzu-, I insist! We must be best friends, rivals and fellow idols now, after being involved in this, right? Right?”

  As Tamami was overwhelmed by Suzu’s inexorable excitement, I frowned. She is definitely quite abnormal. People seldom be so excited in a hospital room with so many young, maimed females. Even if she knows they will recover, it is rather… crass. Besides, I do not approve of her manner of speech. “I am not Japanese. Honorifics do not-not suit me. Unless you wish to call me Duchess or Princess. Besides, what do you mean, we shall be w together soon enough?”

  “Whoa, Shaeu-Hime, huh? Well, that’s a bit of an overpping character, not sure how the Boss will see that one.” She giggled, ign the rebuke. “Isn’t it obvious? Boss is head-over-heels for that guy. She said she was going to marry him after all. Get this, she threw Master Raven uhe bus for him. I never would have seen that ing, she was super scary before. I didn’t even know she was so pretty uhe hood. Well, she worries about her injuries, and sure, they look bad, but she’s still geous if you ask me! Anyway, Bunta-kun will do whatever she says, and I’m in, it’s already been a wild night, and we’ve only just met.” She ughed inappropriately. “Arisu-san, well… uh, she’ll be a tough oo vince. But… well, I’m up for it!”

  “Do you think this is the time for that?” Kana voiced simir ses as I was thinking. “My poor cousin is hurt and likely traumatised, and…”

  “Is… is that you, Kana-?” Keomi said, her eyelids flickering. “is… is it time to get up? I’m not oversleeping, I promise…” her words were slurred, possibly due to the ahetic she had been prescribed.

  At her dull, out-of-pce words, Kana burst into tears, burying her head into the b c the young female. “You stupid, clumsy idiot! You… don’t you knoorried we all were? If… if you died, we’d all be heartbroken. And why are you even awake? What the hell are the doctors doing?”

  “Perhaps they uimated her powers? Her body is far-far strohan you would expect, correct? They may have o give her a rger dose?” I made a suggestion, but Kana wasn’t listening, merely g and chastising her dozy cousin.

  “I think maybe we should give them a little space?” Tamami said tactfully, and with that, we stepped aside…

  ********

  “Aren’t you tired?” Tamami asked, her face grey from exhaustion. “It’s been a long night.”

  “Not really.” Suzu said, tinuing to bombard her endlessly with questions about idol culture, agencies and more. “I’m strong, I don’t really feel tired unless I pull a few all-nighters. It means I practise my moves more, don’t be envious!” she giggled. “Hey, Kana-, are you tired?”

  Kana, who had listeo Keomi cry herself out, was watg as more sedatives were being ied into her, putting her bato a restful sleep. The doctor, with several supp nurses, were all still rather flummoxed by the whole situation. Even so, now the hospital was surrounded by the miliary, it was not as if the staff had any ability to pin.

  “Tired? Yeah, of course I am. I feel like I could sleep for a week. But I ’t, I? Now more than ever, Akio hose of his students that remain to stand up for him and the training school. I’m lucky I’ve had the full course of Chirurgery, I have a lot more stamina aal toughhan I used to. Perhaps if I didn’t, I’d have broken down at all this.”

  “No, I believe you have bee rather strong-willed.” I disagreed, before enting myself. “I too am not-not physically tired, though my mental fatigue is great. Although, when you reach my level, a short break will surely-surely refresh me. And that is all I will get, I fear. After all, the sed day of cve is here.” After yesterday, Akio had them in his hands. But now… I worry.

  “I’m curious about this Chirurgery!” Suzu piped up. “If it make me stronger, I’m all for it! You should get some too, and the rest of Red and White!” she said to the exhausted Tamami. “If you did, you’d be able to train harder aer, right?” she slyly offered bes that were not hers to give. Yes, this one, I ot quite work her out. She is rather annoying though. But since she is a didate, like Akio, she should be useful… if properly managed.

  “That’s true.” Kana said, suddenly. “And… if you did, maybe that would go some way to reassuring people that the school isn’t finished, despite all the deaths and injuries. I mean, not that it should be, after all, it was hardly Akio’s fault, was it?” Kana pouted, not liking the criticism that was sure to be levelled at us.

  “I don’t know, I have to be really careful with my health…” Tamami seemed unsure. Which is reasonable, she knows little about it, and the request was sudden. However…

  “I shall of course not-not force you.” I said with a wry smile. “After all, Akio and I have doubtless used most of our strength healing the wounded. Chirurgery now would be quite-quite a chore. However…”

  “However?” She asked, nervous.

  “You have seen my skills in healing, have you not-not? Chirurgery is unfortable, but quite safe, and the bes are signifit.”

  “No, I still don’t think… well, I don’t know much about any of you, other than gossip from the other shrines and temples.” She deed.

  “I see. Well, why not-not sleep on it? A clear mind will see-see the bes for all of us…” With that I stood, stretg. “Well now, what shall this day of cve bring? Hopefully it shall not-not be the disaster I fear…”

  ShipTeaser