Beta read by Opal and FabledLife
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-Midchilda-
"Well, that went smoothly," at the top of the Time Space Administrative Bureau's office, murmured Fate to herself as she stepped out of her shared office and onto the balcony where the wind rustled her hair and the sound of birds chirping filled the air.
The space sat several stories above the ground, high enough that Midchilda spread out below her in a wide and orderly view of streets, buildings, and distant towers. From up here, the city looked calmer than it ever felt during work hours. The air carried a mild breeze, cool against her face, and for a moment, she simply rested her hands against the railing and took it all in.
The office itself was not exactly private. It was shared with several others, filled with desks, terminals, and the low background noise of constant activity. Still, it was more than enough for her, and she honestly liked working around people she trusted. The familiar presence of coworkers made long days such as this less… boring.
"He was cute," she said quietly, almost without thinking.
As the woman stood there, her thoughts drifted back to recent events concerning a certain red-headed mage. Calling the whole situation chaotic would not have done it justice — at least for Shirou. Yet instead of feeling betrayed, disappointed, or angry, Hayate, Nanoha, and even herself had come away from it strangely lighthearted. It did help that some payback was achieved from a lot of teasing.
Honestly, she never would have expected him, of all people, to go along with a plan that involved dating two women at the same time, especially through Lutecia's summoning. Creative was one word for it, reckless was another, but it had still worked in its own strange way for a bit. Had Hayate not noticed it or even ignored it, then things could have gone smoothly.
A small chuckle slipped past her lips as she remembered the moment they had found him sitting by the road, head buried in his hands, shoulders slumped. The look on his face had been one of pure despair, the kind that came from being completely overwhelmed and not knowing how to fix it.
And even a bit of dread from seeing them.
"That face was something else," she muttered.
Her amusement slowly gave way to a quieter thought, one that lingered longer than she expected.
"Would he have accepted me if I asked him for something like a date, too?"
The question settled in her mind and refused to leave, with her leaning a little more against the railing, staring out at the distant skyline as she considered it seriously. To the blonde's own surprise, the idea did not feel ridiculous at all.
"Knowing him, he probably would have agreed if I had asked that time before he even ran away," she said under her breath.
Some might have called that a flaw, but to Fate, it was one of the many things she found endearing about him. He could be clumsy, awkward, and uncertain, but he always tried his best to help others, no matter his own situation or what kind of trouble they had gotten into. He rarely stopped to think about himself first, which in itself could lead to trouble.
If he really had accepted an invitation from her, Fate found herself wondering where they would even go. Her thoughts drifted through simple possibilities.
"Maybe the beach," she considered. "Or maybe not. Would that be too forward? There is the spa or the onsen… no, that last one is definitely a bit too forward."
She shook her head slightly.
"Not a restaurant either. I already brought him to one before," she added. "And movies too."
In the end, these were just ideas. Nothing more than passing thoughts, she had no clear intention of acting on. Even though Nanoha had technically given them permission to spend time with Shirou however they wanted, Fate still was not entirely sure what that meant. Was it trust that they would not cross a certain line, or was it something deeper, something unspoken?
'Nanoha can be complicated at times and say the most ridiculous of things with confidence. Even though her words say otherwise, I am really not sure if she meant that kind of interest we had towards him.' Unfortunately, that held little weight since Nanoha was also wise enough to know the difference.
So maybe she really…
"Do I even have feelings for him?" Unexpectedly, Fate asked herself quietly. Before going any further, it would be best to figure out if there was even something there.
She closed her eyes for a moment and went through every memory she had with him. Missions where Fate saw him fight side by side with other members of the Riot Force. Training sessions are filled with mistakes and gradual improvement. Ordinary days spent at his house, sitting around and talking about nothing important at all. Each moment returned clearly, one after another.
When she finished, she realized she still did not have an answer. Instead, only further questions came forward, with the most prominent one being. "What does it even mean to be in love with someone?"
It felt like something she should already understand, yet the concept slipped away every time she tried to define it for herself. Maybe she truly did not know. Or maybe she already felt something and simply did not recognize it as more than friendship.
"Hah…" she let out a quiet breath.
"It's rare to see you looking like that. Too much going on lately?"
The voice came from behind her. Fate turned, surprised, and found herself looking at someone she had not expected to see up here.
"Chrono?" she said, blinking once as she recognized him. Seeing the blue-haired man standing there caught her off guard, considering how long they had known each other.
"How are you doing?" she greeted back. "What brings you here?"
He shrugged, his shoulders lifting in a casual motion that matched his relaxed tone. "Just a small meeting I had with one of my colleagues up here. I saw you hanging around and decided to join in for a short conversation. Coffee?" He gestured toward the two cups resting nearby, both filled to the brim with dark liquid. Thin trails of steam still rose from them, and the familiar scent of roasted beans drifted through the air, reaching her nose and lingering there with persistence.
"Absolutely."
Accepting his offer, Fate reached out and wrapped her fingers around the warm cup. The heat seeped gently into her palms as he moved to stand beside her. He leaned back against the metal railing, while his gaze drifted toward the city spread out below them. The lights of Midshilda shimmered softly in the distance, streets and buildings laid out in calm order as if nothing unusual had happened at all.
"Hard to imagine that this place was in the middle of what was basically an invasion," he said. "Just looking at how peaceful it is now, and knowing this is still Midchilda. I never thought I would witness something like that with my own eyes."
"It was a pretty hectic day, I agree," she replied, bringing the cup closer and taking a careful sip. The bitterness was familiar, grounding. "At least no one was seriously wounded, and everyone made it out alive. That alone is something to be thankful for."
"All thanks to the Riot Force Six."
She let out a small chuckle. "Do not forget to praise the others too, and yourself. I read the reports. You were helping Officer Nakajima on her side of the field."
"She had it handled even if I was not there," he said with a faint shake of his head. "At best, I probably saved her for ten or fifteen minutes of combat."
"Sometimes seconds can be the difference between life and death," Fate replied. "So do not sell yourself short, Chrono."
He nodded in agreement, acknowledging the point, then turned his head slightly to look at her more directly. "I take it your current mood has something to do with that incident, if you do not mind me asking?"
"Oh? No, that is not it," she said, laughing lightly. "I am just thinking about something else entirely." She hesitated, her eyes lowering to the surface of the coffee for a moment. She wondered if this was the kind of topic that should be kept private. Still, he was not a stranger. He had helped Nanoha more than once and had proven himself reliable in situations where lives were on the line. Sharing a personal question with him did not feel unreasonable. "Actually, I have something I want to ask you."
"I'm all ears."
"Do you know what it is like to be… well, when you have an interest in someone?" The moment the words left her mouth, she realized how difficult it was to phrase what she really meant. Her thoughts tangled almost immediately. She had nearly asked how someone could tell if they were in love, or how she herself would even recognize it if it involved someone like Shirou. That alone made her pause. He had never even met him, now that she thought about it, so expecting a clear answer felt unrealistic. Changing direction seemed safer. She settled for a vaguer approach, though it still earned a raised eyebrow from him.
"An interest?" he repeated. "That depends. If I find myself enjoying talking with them, or if they are a particularly skilled mage, then I suppose I would be interested in getting to know them better. Hopefully, we can become friends."
Her expression shifted, the corners of her smile tightening as she realized he had misunderstood her meaning. With little choice left, she clarified. "No, that is not the kind of interest I mean. I am talking about the other kind. Falling in love and all that."
He froze for a brief second, eyes widening as a mix of surprise and confusion crossed his face. The reaction passed quickly, but not fast enough to hide it entirely. "Oh. That kind. Why are you curious about that?"
"Nothing more than plain curiosity," she replied smoothly.
Chrono studied her for several seconds. Whether he believed her or not was unclear, but Fate maintained her calm smile. "Hold on," he began, leaning in just slightly. "Are you…"
Plain astonishment settled across his face. It was difficult to tell whether he was struggling to believe what he had just been asked or whether he thought the woman was joking, but the pause that followed left no room for misunderstandings. He cleared his throat, straightened slightly in his seat, and actually gave the matter proper consideration.
"I'm not really much of an expert, not the way you seem to think I am, so I'm definitely not the best person to ask about this."
"You don't have to be an expert to know what it feels like to be in love," Fate replied calmly.
"I suppose that's true," he admitted. "It's just that I've been so focused on matters related to the TSAB for most of my life that I never really stopped to think about something like that. I can't really give you a clear explanation of how it feels."
"Wouldn't that be more about taking action rather than knowing the feeling itself?" she asked. "I'm asking how you would know if you were in love with someone, not what it's like to date them."
"I suppose you're right," he said after a moment. He hummed quietly, rubbing his chin with his fingers before glancing to the side. "I guess you feel happy when you're around them."
"Well, that's a given," Fate answered without hesitation, chuckling at the end. "If that were the only explanation, it would mean that I am in love with half of the people here."
"If I had to think about it a bit more," he continued, choosing his words carefully, "I'd say you start noticing what makes that person different from everyone else. Maybe you feel nervous around them, like you don't want to show any flaws you may have. Maybe you start caring more about how you look, or you keep thinking about what to say and end up not knowing the right words. You get flustered, and your heart keeps beating faster whenever they're close."
Each of those points sounded reasonable. Fate listened without interrupting, letting the words settle as she turned them over in her mind. When she thought about it honestly, most of it matched her own experiences. She did feel happy around Shirou. She made more effort with her appearance, even if the blonde told herself it was just a habit. There were moments where she felt awkward or flustered without fully understanding why or because of a particular action… recalling the feeling of nervousness that sprouted when he first took a bite of her cooking. All of that made sense to her.
But there was one problem she could not ignore.
Those feelings were not exclusive to him.
She felt the same warmth around her close friends as well, especially Nanoha. The sense of comfort, the desire to do her best, the ease that came from shared time, all of that existed there too. That realization made her frown slightly, her expression growing tired as the thought refused to leave her alone. If those signs applied to more than one person, then they did not really narrow anything down.
"I guess I should have changed my question," he said after watching her think for a moment. "Maybe it should have been, trouble in paradise?"
Fate shook her head slowly. "I think it's more like searching for answers than trouble."
She did enjoy her time with Shirou. That much was certain. They had plenty in common, and she often found herself interested in the sides of him that he did not show easily. There was something gentle about the way he spoke with Lutecia and Vivio, something cute in how he listened to them. Seeing that side of him was both fascinating and entertaining… like an inexplicable curiosity to see how he'd handle the situation. She liked how he always tried his best, even when the situation was difficult, and how he made an effort to help others in his own way. He cared deeply about not leaving anyone feeling hurt or abandoned.
Even if it came at his own expense.
When she looked at him from that angle, she could not help but notice how he reminded her of Nanoha, not in appearance, but in presence. Both had a way of putting others at ease without trying. It was only after realizing that similarity that she noticed how quickly she had grown comfortable around him. It had only taken a few days after his arrival for that sense of ease to settle in.
Could that be called love?
Or was it simply the enjoyment of his company, nothing more than that?
The uncertainty bothered her. It was not confusing in a dramatic way, but it lingered for longer than she was comfortable with, refusing to give her a clear answer. The more she thought about it, the more tangled it became. Maybe she should just ask Nanoha directly. Or Hayate. Maybe one of them had already figured this out in a way she had not. Was Hayate dealing with the same doubts, or was she already certain of her own feelings? Or did she simply see Shirou as a close friend and enjoy teasing him without attaching deeper meaning to it?
The thoughts kept piling up, one after another.
"Why did I even start thinking about this so deeply?" Fate muttered. "I was doing just fine before all of this and now I have one more stressful thing to worry about."
Emotions tended to be complicated, often tangled in ways that did not follow logic. Fate had always known that much. Still, she had never expected to feel so lost over something that should have been simple, especially compared to everything she had already endured in the past.
"Truthfully, I hold the same opinion," Chrono replied after listening to her for a while.
"I always thought I would be able to handle matters like this easily, especially when compared to past events. But it turns out things are far more confusing than I expected."
He listened quietly, while her gaze drifted toward the floor as if the answer might be written there. Chrono gave a small nod, his expression thoughtful rather than confident.
"Trust me," he continued, "I want to give you advice, but I cannot. I am just as much in the dark as you are. If I had to suggest anything at all, I suppose I would say that you should be around this person more frequently and truly stop thinking about it so carefully."
Being around Shirou more often. The suggestion sounded reasonable on the surface. Fate almost nodded along with it before the thought fully settled in her mind. She could not help wondering how Chrono would react if he knew that she had already been to Shirou's house several times, and that she had even slept there. Despite all of that, she still found herself stuck in this strange state of uncertainty.
The realization made her roll her eyes at herself. So many doubts had appeared so suddenly, as if they had been waiting for the smallest excuse to surface. She had faced battles, commands, and decisions with consequences far heavier than this. Yet now, she felt strangely hesitant. Only after that train of thought slowed did another possibility strike her.
"Am I actually afraid of his answer?"
The idea lingered longer than she expected. Before she could examine it any further, her phone buzzed in her hand. The vibration pulled her attention away immediately. She looked down at the screen and saw the caller ID glowing back at her.
"Nanoha?"
Curious and slightly concerned about why her friend would call at such a time, Fate answered without delay. She did not even have the chance to greet her properly before an urgent stream of words spilled through the phone.
Fate froze for a split second. Her pupils widened, and her eyes opened more than she realized as the meaning sank in.
"Hold on," Fate said quickly. "I am coming as fast as I can."
She ended the call without another word, her thoughts already shifting into motion.
{Break}
"Hey, wake up."
The voice reached him through layers of sleep, distant and persistent. Shirou turned slightly, trying to ignore it while clinging to the warmth and heaviness that kept his eyes shut.
"Hey, stop ignoring me. Wake up. It is your turn to make breakfast today. Were you not looking forward to this after bringing that ingredient yesterday?"
The words made little sense at first. His mind struggled to catch up. His turn? That did not sound right. Shirou cooked almost every day. The only exception he could remember was that one time when Fate had taken over his kitchen. Even then, it had been temporary. He had never asked Lutecia to do something like that in his place.
"Seriously," the voice continued, clearly growing irritated. "If you do not open those eyes, I will do it myself. Trust me, it will hurt. Or would you prefer I bring a bucket of water and dump it on your face?"
The threat sounded unusually harsh and alone was enough to make Shirou pause. The tone… that was… no, it couldn't be… but more than that, it did not match what he had become familiar with recently. It did not sound like Fate. It was not Nanoha, Subaru, or Teana either. He knew this voice. He just had not heard it in a long time.
"What?"
With considerable effort, he forced his eyes open. Eyelids heavy, as if they had weight to them. The first thing that came into view was a ceiling that was both familiar and strange. It was old, marked by faint stains that refused to disappear no matter how much effort had been put into cleaning them. He remembered noticing those marks when they first moved in. The place was not cheap, but it was far from well-maintained.
He had tried to scrub the stains away back then, spending time and energy he barely had. Some traces remained regardless, leaving repainting as the only real solution. With everything else happening in their lives, that plan had been pushed aside. Cooking, cleaning, and simply keeping up had taken priority over renovations.
"What?" he repeated, his voice still hoarse and drowsy with sleep.
"What do you mean, what?" she snapped. "It is nine in the morning, you dummy! If you do not hurry up and eat your breakfast, I will be late for my class. The last thing I want is for Luvia to have another reason to gloat over me and start mumbling about how I am always late and do not take this class seriously!"
She took a breath, clearly working herself up.
"I swear, one more condescending comment from her mouth and I will seriously consider murdering her right then and there," she continued. "And you too, you should stay away from her. I do not like how she keeps hounding you with those sweet offers to become her butler. Do not take them seriously. She is just trying to get herself a new toy. I know her well enough to be sure of that."
The old English style architecture of the building stood out the moment his eyes adjusted, the narrow windows and aged stonework giving the place a quiet, lived-in feeling. The familiar scent of coffee hung in the air, fresh and strong, the kind she had refused to give up lately, no matter how many times he suggested tea as a substitute. She had gone as far as making it a rule, written down and taped near the counter, and he had learned not to argue with it. Along one wall, faint cracks and scorched marks told the story of a few failed spell experiments, despite his repeated reminders that such things belonged in her workshop and not the apartment. A handful of framed photographs lined the shelves, people from his past frozen in time, friends and acquaintances he had not seen in years but still tried to contact when he could. One frame, slightly dustier than the rest, held the image of someone who had vanished from his life almost completely.
His gaze lingered on the woman with violet hair… someone he had last seen during his graduation. An individual who practically vanished from the face of the Earth, leaving no trace behind whatsoever. But he could not hold the thought for long before a wave of memories pressed in, each one tugging at his focus in a way he could not easily ignore.
"All right, breakfast is served~! Hehe, I must say, I am quite proud of this one, I don't even think you can make better mapo tofu than this." Mapo tofu for breakfast? That was just asking for trouble later in the day. "Now get out of bed, brush your teeth, and get over here quickly. We need to be out in ten minutes."
The voice cut through his thoughts. He finally turned toward it, staring at the young woman standing near the kitchen sink, sleeves rolled up as she washed a few plates. She hummed a tune she had been listening to often lately. The sight of her made his chest tighten.
"Toh…saka?"
The name slipped out before he could stop himself. He sat up abruptly, fingers gripping the bedsheets as if grounding himself might make the moment clearer. His voice sounded distant to his own ears.
"Huh? What is up with the way you are calling me?" she asked, turning around with a puzzled look. "Do I look different from behind? Hm, these pants have been feeling a bit tight lately… I never realized it was that obvious."
It had been years since they left for Fuyuki, and time had changed her in small but noticeable ways. She was taller now, her features more defined, and the twin tails she once favored were gone. Her hair fell freely down her back instead. Dark circles sat beneath her eyes, a clear sign she had pulled another all-nighter. Her shirt was slightly wrinkled and only half buttoned, as if she had thrown it on without much thought.
"Did you get hit on the head a bit too hard during your mission with those Enforcers?" she continued, shaking her head as she reached into her pocket. "I told you it was dangerous. Dealing with one sealing designation is risky enough. Trying to capture two is basically asking for trouble."
She sighed, then pulled out a familiar gem, its surface faintly glowing. "By the way, I am almost done with this. I still need a day or two to fill it completely, but you can handle the rest yourself with what I taught you. Don't worry, it won't blow up like the last three."
She tossed it toward him without looking. He caught it on reflex, fingers closing around the smooth surface as he stared at it.
"This…"
"Just keep it close to you," she said. "It is better than the other one you are wearing. At least this one can be used in an emergency if something goes wrong. It also lets me track you down if you get trapped or taken prisoner. I would rather you have more options during your missions than risk revealing your Reality Marble and getting yourself slapped with a sealing designation as well."
Warmth settled in his chest at her words. Even now, she worried about him, going out of her way to prepare safeguards he had never asked for. She was difficult, stubborn, and careful with her feelings, but the concern was always there beneath the surface. He held the gem a little tighter, letting the sensation linger for just a moment.
Then a single question pushed its way forward, breaking the calm.
"Where are… the others?"
"The others?" Rin repeated, blinking. "What do you mean by that?"
The confusion on her face did nothing to ease the growing tension in his chest.
"The others," he said again, louder this time. "Th-Thee ones who helped me when I got thrown into another world because of that field experiment of yours… Nanoha, Fate, Hayate, Lutecia, and… and more! When you found me, Lutecia should have been there too. S-She looks like Rider! S-She must have been around."
The words started spilling out faster than he could control them. He swung his legs off the bed, standing up as he checked his pockets and scanned the room. His movements were hurried, unfocused.
"Wait, where is Ruben?" he muttered. "It should be on me. It might help contact them."
The expression on Rin's face shifted from mild curiosity to genuine worry as she stood up from the chair and moved toward him. Closing the distance in an instant, one hand settling on his shoulder while the other gently cupped his cheek, her palm warm and steady against his skin. Her voice softened as she spoke, careful and grounded, as if trying to anchor him where he stood.
"Hey, hey. Calm down. Calm down, Emiya-kun. Take a deep breath for me, please. You must have had a really intense dream or a nightmare to react like this. There was nothing like that. I have never heard of those people, and there was no explosion. We only got back home yesterday after those long meetings with Lord El Melloi, remember? You were even talking with his assistant for a while."
Her words washed over him, but they did nothing to slow the storm building inside his chest. His heartbeat continued to rise, pounding hard enough that he could feel it in his throat. His breathing turned uneven as panic crept in, tightening its grip with every passing second.
"It was not a dream," he said, his voice strained. "I am telling the truth! There were others. I met them. I helped them, and they helped me too. It was... it was..."
The words refused to come together. As relieved as he was to see her face again, to wake up in a familiar room that he had not seen for what felt like far too long, the situation itself felt wrong. He had not expected this to happen, not like this, and certainly not so suddenly.
'I did not even have time to say goodbye,' he thought desperately. 'How did this even happen? Did Rin find me and bring me back while I was sleeping? Or did I slip through another portal again? Then why is she acting as if none of it happened? Why is she not acknowledging any of it at all? What is going on?'
Nothing made sense. The more he tried to piece it together, the worse his thoughts became, spiraling into something erratic and unstable. A wave of nausea rolled through him, forcing him to swallow hard.
"I cannot be back yet," he said, his voice rising despite himself. "We still have not found Jail! I-I… I need to go back. I have to protect Lutecia. I cannot be back yet. You need to send me back, please, Tohsaka! J-Just for a bit longer, until I finish dealing with those issues! Please!"
He reached out without thinking, gripping her shoulders tightly and pulling her closer until there was barely any space between them. His hands trembled, fingers digging in as if she might disappear if he let go. Rin's face flushed a deep red, surprise flashing across her features before discomfort followed close behind. She pushed against him, forcing him back just enough to breathe.
"Hey, stop that," she said with a light stutter, looking away from him. "C-Calm down. You are not making any sense, Emiya-kun. Ah, loosen your grip a bit. That actually hurts."
Those words cut through the haze. Reality came rushing back all at once as he realized what he was doing. Guilt settled heavily in his chest, and he released her at once, stumbling back several steps as if burned. His hands dropped to his sides, fingers curling in on themselves.
"I am sorry," he muttered. "I just... it makes no sense. You would not lie to me. So why am I back? How am I back?"
His thoughts raced again, all of it flooded back. The people he had met. The time he had spent with Nanoha. The promise he had made to Lutecia. The moments shared with Subaru and Teana, and even Fate. Their shared determination to stop Jail so that he could not hurt anyone else. His own resolve to see it through and protect them. None of that could have been a dream. It felt too real, far too real to be dismissed as just another dream.
He refused to accept it!
"This is not right," he whispered. Then louder. "This is not right. This is not right."
Without realizing it, his hand clenched around the edge of the nearby table with all his strength. The hard surface pressed into his palm, the pressure grounding him even as his knuckles turned pale. It only lasted a few seconds before he froze, startled by the sudden warmth against him.
Rin stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close before he could react. She guided his head down until it rested against her chest, one hand coming up to gently run through his hair in slow, steady motions. The gesture was simple, familiar, and calming in a way words had failed to be.
"It is okay," she said quietly. "Everything is going to be fine."
"Tohsaka," he murmured. There was so much he wanted to say, so much he wanted to explain, but none of it would come out right now.
"It is rare to see you like this," she continued, her tone thoughtful but kind. "Honestly, I cannot remember the last time you looked this shaken. But do not worry. Everything will work out. Whoever these people are, I am sure you will help them, just like you always do. Even if you end up far away again, or stuck somewhere strange, I will come get you. No matter where you end up."
He stayed silent, listening.
"There have only been a handful of times I have said this," Rin went on, her voice softer now, her fingers softly going through his red strands. "But I made a promise to someone that I would take care of you and watch over you. So just try not to get yourself into too much trouble, at least not until I am there. Put yourself first a little more. Do not rush headlong into danger. Just wait for me, okay?"
Her words continued to echo in his ears long after they were spoken. At some point, without him even noticing when it happened, his arms had returned the embrace. The sheer amount of stress that had been lodged in his shoulders slowly eased, replaced by a sense of calm that settled into his chest. She was right. No matter how he had ended up here, no matter how twisted the path had been, he would find his way back. He would finish what he had started. He would keep the promises he had made and make sure not to disappoint them, and Rin as well.
"Promise me, please?"
"I promise."
"Promise me what exactly?"
"That I will make sure to keep myself safe."
She smiled. It was an expression so gentle that he could feel it even without looking at her directly.
"That's all I ask. Just don't die out there or else I'll drag your soul back into a puppet one way or another and keep you locked up." A scary threat, but one he believed could actually happen if she tried hard enough.
It was Rin after all.
Her words echoed through his ears once more as he remained where he was, allowing his nerves to cool down properly.
The room around him gradually began to darken, the edges of the space losing their shape as shadows crept inward. A pulling sensation suddenly took hold of his body, firm and almost painful. In the next moment, he was dragged by an incomprehensible force, pulled through a vast void that felt endless and empty. In the distance, the last thing he saw was the young woman waving at him, a beautiful smile on her face as she faded from view.
.
.
.
"..."
His eyes soon opened with neither the feeling of drowsiness nor tiredness within them. This time, he was once again gazing back at a ceiling that was not the one from his apartment in London, but the one in Midchilda. Another notable thing was the gem he held tightly in his sleep, keeping it on his being at all times.
"Was that… even a dream?"
It was hard to tell if he felt relief or disappointment. Seeing Rin again… or rather, dreaming about her made him realize just how long it had been since he last saw her. Making him remember every other person at the Clocktower, whether they be full or friend.
'I miss them…'
As much as he wanted to stay and help everyone here, to not let go of all the relationships he had built over this world, it still remained hard for him to forget and let go of his past. Even there he had friends that he wanted to help. It was at Such moments that he wished his talents with Magecraft were a bit better, that even though it was highly unlikely, perhaps he could have been able to learn the same thing Rin was currently practicing and managed to keep his presence active in both worlds.
An overall melancholic beginning of the day.
"Hm?" Though he did not dwell on such emotions for too long, since his device sent a notification with Hayate calling for him to go over to the headquarters for some kind of meeting.
"All right then, time to wake up, Lutecia."
With the start of a new day, Shirou figured things would go back to something close to normal. That was the thought he held onto as he prepared himself in the morning, moving through familiar routines that helped ground him. After getting ready, he headed toward the main headquarters with Lutecia walking just behind him.
"It's quite odd to wake up with just the two of us living there now," he said quietly.
With how regularly everyone used to come over, the absence felt noticeable. Subaru and Teana had practically made it a habit to show up for dinner, eating until they could barely move before collapsing into a food coma and sleeping over. Now, with only him and Lutecia around, the house felt emptier than usual. The silence lingered longer in the halls, and small sounds carried further than before.
"Even with Fate living with you normally," Shirou added, speaking mostly to himself as he glanced back at the purple-haired girl behind him.
Lutecia did not show it on her face, but he knew well enough that she was missing her little friend, too. The way she walked, the way her gaze lingered forward without focus, made that clear enough.
"Do you think we'll be sent to another planet again?" she asked.
"Hm?" Shirou did not quite catch her words at first. He slowed slightly and looked back at her, waiting for her to repeat herself or elaborate.
"Given how the last mission went rather smoothly, there is a possibility they will send us outside again," she continued.
"Well, it makes sense," he replied. "That is our job, and the Bureau is responsible for protecting other worlds, too."
"I guess so," Lutecia said after a moment. "But I feel like the biggest threat is still living somewhere on this planet."
It was an argument he could not disagree with. Shirou knew exactly what she meant and shared the same concern. There was a very real possibility that Jail Scaglietti had gone into hiding somewhere on Midchilda itself. Considering how the man had managed to keep something as massive as the Saint's Cradle hidden from the public eye for so long, doing the same with himself and his group would be far from difficult.
"We can't really do much until we get more information on his possible location," Shirou said.
"That's the problem," Lutecia replied. "If he doesn't want us to find him, we won't. The doctor's methods are close to perfect. The only mistakes he makes are because of his own arrogance."
Shirou fell silent for a moment. He did not know much about that man beyond their handful of encounters, and none of those meetings had gone well. Still, the unease lingered.
"I'm just worried he might start another attack on Midchilda again," he admitted.
"He will if we don't get to him in time," Lutecia said calmly. "It's only a matter of time. The doctor is not someone who lets go of anything easily, especially not after you cost him so much."
A wry smile slowly formed on his face as he let out a quiet breath. "To be fair, it is not my fault," Shirou said, his tone casual but measured. "He kidnapped me and sealed me inside that vessel. Anyone should have known there were risks involved with imprisoning someone in a place like that. If it had been someone else, like Fate or Nanoha, the damage would have been far worse. I was actually holding back."
Rather than agreeing, the girl beside him simply raised an eyebrow and gave him a sideways look. "Yeah, but none of them would have kept their Devices on them," Lutecia replied. "They would have been powerless. People are not like you, Shirou. They cannot just summon weapons out of thin air without a tool."
He had to admit that was a fair point. Even with monocores and enormous magical reserves, most people in this world lacked the same flexibility when it came to spellcasting. The systems here demanded preparation and proper equipment. Compared to that, his own abilities were an exception rather than the norm. It was a tradeoff between raw potential and convenience, and he understood both sides of it.
"Well, let us hope he does not try to recreate something like me," he began, only for his sentence to be cut short by a sharp tug at his collar.
"Ugh!"
Shirou was suddenly yanked backward as they walked down the hallway of the Riot Force Six building. The abrupt movement threw him off balance and caused Lutecia to stumble. She instinctively took a step forward to chase after him, then froze when she realized who had grabbed him. Without a word, she turned around and calmly continued down the hallway as if nothing had happened.
"You are on your own for this," she said flatly, her footsteps echoing away.
It took Shirou a moment to steady himself and adjust to the dim lighting. When his vision cleared, pink hair filled his view, followed by an unwavering stare from the woman he had seen several nights ago with the others. His expression stiffened, dread creeping in as he realized exactly who had dragged him aside.
"Hey there, Signum," he said, forcing a weak smile that did nothing to hide his nerves.
"That is all you have to say?" Signum replied, her voice calm but firm. She released his collar but did not step back. Her posture was rigid, arms crossed as she studied him.
Shirou laughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of his neck. The situation was uncomfortable in a way he had expected, yet still failed to prepare for. After what happened yesterday, he knew this confrontation was inevitable. He had hoped for more time, or at least a chance to explain himself properly to the people who effectively acted as Hayate's guardians.
"Are you angry?" he asked.
"I stopped Vita from coming over here and smacking your head with her hammer," Signum said evenly. "Does that answer your question?"
"Not really," Shirou replied. "If anything, that just makes me worry you stopped her because you wanted to do it yourself."
"If you do not explain yourself," Signum said, "I might."
That was about as clear a warning as he could get. Despite preparing himself mentally for this moment, standing in front of her made him more uneasy than he expected. He straightened his posture and took a breath. "What did Hayate say so far about the other day?"
"Let us assume she said nothing."
That only made things more complicated. If Hayate had not spoken, then the responsibility to explain everything fell squarely on him. Realizing he had no real choice, Shirou began recounting his side of the story in full. He did not skip details or soften the truth. Every few minutes, he glanced toward the window at the moon outside, then back to Signum, who listened in silence with her arms still crossed, her expression unreadable as she waited for him to finish.
"Seconds felt like ours after he finished talking, seeing her digest everything he said while waiting patiently. Then again, it wasn't like he had any choice and could just walk away. So stuck between a rock and a hard place, he waited with a sense of dread. Hoping that, at the very least, she would not hit him with too much strength behind her punches.
"—!"
He flinched the moment the woman raised her hand, waiting for the punishment and accepting it no matter how painful it might be, without trying to dodge or block it. Yet instead, rather than suffering from my painfully swollen face, he found her scratching her own head with a look of frustration. "What are you even thinking… Hayate…"
"Eh?'
Was this going to happen a second time? It made sense for him to get punched or scolded at least once by someone! He avoided that outcome with the other three — but surely it would not be the same with her?
"I can't blame you alone for this."
'What? Yes, you can!' What was going on around here? Why were these people so forgiving? Shirou could even see him hitting himself for his action!
"Oh, don't give me that look, you're not completely off the hook, Shirou," Signum said while crossing her arms. "But Hayate is a grown-up who can make decisions and judge herself. She is no longer the small child we needed to protect in the past, and there are many things she does in her life where we have no say whatsoever. I am just confused why Hayate is so accepting of… this."
"Accepting what?" He asked with the head tilt, his reaction getting a suspicious look from Signum that lasted a few seconds until it changed into surprise.
"You don't know… she didn't tell you?"
"Tell me what?" Aside from just listening to some of his moments from the past, Hayate never told him anything that would cause the person in front of him to act in such a way. His curiosity grew along with Signum's disbelief as she now proceeded to smack around forehead. "From your reaction, I take it it's something important? I wouldn't mind if you filled me in on the details."
"Thats—um, actually… hah, I can't. Damn it! Seriously, Hayate, why did this have to fall on me of all people? I should have just let Vita come over to crush your head."
Seeing her genuinely disconflicted just served to further deepen his curiosity. Signum had always given him the impression of being someone quite composed and straight to the point. So for her to act like this, it couldn't just be any regular old unimportant subject.
Furthermore, she proceeded to grab him by the collar and stare right into his eyes. "Listen, Shirou, I want you to listen to me clearly. Because this is massive and I don't know how to solve it without potentially hurting two parties. So, you'll have to figure this out on your own since I do not want to be the one responsible for indirectly causing any kind of sadness to inflict Hayate."
"What's with the vague wording?" He mentioned, exasperated. "I won't know how to handle the matter if I don't even know what it is. Can't you at least just give me a clue?"
She shook her head, "Sorry, Shirou. I really want to but I can't. But before I leave, let me ask you one question. Currently in your heart, who do you love without a hint of doubt? Who would you never betray?"
Taken aback by the sudden deep question, the redhead still answered the next second without any hesitation. "Nanoha, since I accepted being in a relationship with her. There is absolutely no way I would betray her and I will try my best to not repeat them saying mistakes I have done recently ever again. I have learned my lesson."
Rather than getting an odd of approval or even a smile from her, instead he saw her face getting more sour. "That's what I'm afraid about. This is… tricky."
"Eh?" Now he was genuinely lost, was she not satisfied with his answer? Perhaps she did not believe him to be capable of following through? If that was the case, then he was more than willing to prove her otherwise and redeem himself.
"In any case, you should be going to meet Hayate now, she's waiting for you."
"Wait, hold on! I-I still…" Unfortunately for him, Signum turned on her heel and walked away without giving him an opportunity to finish this question. Does leaving him all by himself and dark room with nothing but his own thoughts and keeping him company. "Did I… do I just need to ask Hayate directly? Or maybe I should do so with Fate; she should be free later on."
Motivated to get an answer and properly deal with this matter once and for all, he intended to get an answer out of her one way or another but then stopped in his tracks the next second when Signum turned around and walked away. "Don't be late, everyone else is already gathered in the main room and are waiting for you. We'll talk more later."
Later… as much as you wanted to get an answer, she was right on how he could not keep the others waiting. So keeping her words in mind, Shirou went ahead and made his way to the main room where just like Signum mentioned, everyone else was already there waiting for him. Lutecia especially approached him and proceeded to check him out, walking around several times with an observant face.
"You're still alive."
His eyes twitched at that comment. 'This little brat.'
"Eeeeu," still feeling a bit vengeful for that earlier betrayal, he figured her punishment would come in the form of grabbing both sides of her face with a light pinch and pulling them to make her do a silly expression. "Isht hursh, Shfirou."
"So did my heart when you walked away like that. The least you can do for the guy who feeds you is to have his back."
"You brought that disaster on yourself."
No it was his time to flinch, she was right after all. Regardless, he turned his attention towards the others, Subaru and Teana already gathered with Caro and Erio nearby. The orange haired girl smiled at him and gave a small nod. Then he gazed at the person at the forefront, the latter immersed on a stack of papers She continued to read for several minutes until finally putting them down with a sigh.
"Damn you, Regius."
Well that sounded ominous enough already.
"Sorry for the lateness, everyone. I was just checking the details of our latest mission and I will tell you right now, some of you may not like it." Hayate mentioned soon after, especially looking towards him at that last part. Everyone in the room went a bit tense, yet kept their silence while waiting for her to continue. "Alright then, here are the details."
The numerous screens around them changed image, now showcasing several pictures of drones and of the remains of the Saint's Cradle. The Giant structure, still lying in the middle of the forest, the front part of it destroyed with a giant hole visible from afar. 'They still haven't cleared up much of it.'
"As you can see, the clearing of the Saint's Cradle is still very much in its early stages. For such a giant structure, it might take around a month to get rid of it completely. Even if Midchilda dispatches every single available mages to help out, at best we could shorten that time to a week."
That made sense, if floating above the city itself, its sheer size encompassed a large section of Midchilda alone. No different to a floating city, trying to clear it off was no different to trying to erase an entire city of the face of the earth.
"While this was happening, we continued to track down the culprit who stole this in the first place. Jail's whereabouts still remain unknown but we have a suspicion that he is still somewhere on this planet, hiding. Ever since that incident, the entire airspace had been put into a lockdown with no ship capable of flying in and flying out without our notice and approval.
"That bastard is annoying, like a needle stuck inside your skin." Subaru commented with a huff. "He sure likes to talk big for someone who spends most of his time hiding like a coward."
Hayate hummed, "Can't say I disagree with you, but he is still someone we cannot underestimate for his intelligence alone has already done so much damage."
"Since we are talking about him, I take it you all found some kind of lead to his location?" The dream from earlier resurfacing, Shirou genuinely felt a sense of urgency on finding this person. For what would he do it the next time he woke up and actually found himself no longer present in this world?
The emotions he felt back then, even if they were all a dream come up still felt real. He would never be able to live down the aftermath.
"Kind of," Hayate replied with an uncertain tone. "We got confirmation that a… reliable source will be able to help us in finding his hideout. So, your task will be to protect this person at all cost given there is a possibility that Jail might try to eliminate them. Another issue, aside from finding Jail, is related to clearing of the Saint's Cradle."
After tapping a few keys on the keyboard, the images on the screen changed, showcasing several remains of drones scattered across the forest. Some footage even displayed them appearing out of nowhere and attacking anyone close to the wreckage. "It seems like you may have underestimated just how many of these things that man created. As it turned out, during the destruction of the airship, an army of these drones managed to escape before our forces could get there in time. Now they're causing trouble for anyone close by and if we take our eyes off of them for even a second, casualties numbers start to rise. So while you are there, make sure to reduce their numbers as much as possible."
Simple enough mission, Shirou figured that with everyone here they would be more than capable of eliminating such a threat. "Zwei and I will be keeping an eye on all of you. If something were to go south, then you are all ordered to retreat rather than confront it head on. Let's not take unnecessary risks, we have him cornered so it's best to take our time."
"Yes!"
Everyone replied in unison and thus wasted no time heading outside where an aircraft awaited them. From the pilot seat, a brown-haired man greeted them with a large grin on his face. "Hey there! Vice Granscenic at your service, I'll be responsible for taking you to the designated area and to be on standby in case anyone needs to be flown back for an emergency."
Vice, Shirou felt like he heard that name before but could not remember from where. "All right then, on board everyone!"
Every single member rushed inside the aircraft, with the rotors spinning loudly, they soon flew away and headed straight to the land across the large body of water. All the while within, most of the team remained in complete silence, half of them tense while the other almost excited. "When I see that man's ugly face, I'll make sure to break a couple of bones before capturing him."
"Don't try to go too far, Subaru."
"Tch, I can tell you are looking forward to doing that as well, Shirou." She rebutted, while Teana on the other side kept her silence and stared outside the window. "And I doubt he is in any form facing us again. Given all the setbacks he has experienced lately, his force must be crippled to a severe degree. That attack you did and your battle against them must have reduced their numbers by at least half."
"They were quite resilient, I wouldn't be surprised if some of them managed to survive fatal wounds." She did not deny his words, the numbers from his understanding were like Androids, artificially created by the doctor. There was nothing to say that he couldn't just make more of them to replace the old ones just like he did with the drones. As morbid as it sounded, part of him felt like that demand did not even treat them as people, their name alone gave him that impression.
"We're here!" Vice's voice sounded from the intercoms After several minutes passed and the body of water beneath had changed into a lush forest expanding for as far as the eyes could see. But on a small clearing Where they were headed, Shirou noticed there was already a group there waiting for them. And upon landing, he realized it was another then Fate and Nanoha, Both women standing side by side next to a large metal box with a small window sealed off with bars.
The first thing he noticed was Nanoha's face.
"She looks pissed, it's scary." Teana perfectly worded out his inner thoughts. He could not remember the last time he even saw her make such a face, the same could also be said with Fate who looked visibly uncomfortable.
The latter took a deep breath and walked forward, "I am sure Hayate already debriefed you on your mission. Unfortunately, we quickly found out that locating a doctor is nearly impossible. Radars, surveillance systems and every other form of technology are useless against a man who had a hand in building them and creating counters against all of them. So, you were left with a single option."
She looked back at Nanoha, the brunette clenching her fist even further and then giving him a look that conveyed a lot of emotions he could not properly decipher. Going ahead, she tapped several buttons on the I know next to her, the sound of latches dislodging reached their ears as the door to what appeared to be a mobile jail cell slowly opened.
It did not take long for Shirou to realize why both of the women in front of him and even Hayate looked so awkward and satisfied this entire time. For he felt the same surge of emotion rise within him as an individual came walking out of the darkness and finally had the sunlight reveal her entire being.
This time, no longer wearing her initial combat gear or the prisoner outfit, this current outfit was more similar to a straight jacket that kept her limbs bound to the side. Despite those restrictions, she had a beaming smile on her face, even having the audacity to chuckle upon noticing their reaction.
"Aw~! What's with those faces? You all look like you're not happy to see me. How disappointing, here I was preparing myself to surprise all of you and see the wonderful smiles on your faces. You should be doing that regardless, after all, how else will I feel motivated to find the doctor?" Quattro answered with an exaggerated disappointed tone.
All the while Shirou already felt this mission's chances of going south rising by the second.
What the hell was going on here!?
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