Beta read by Opal and FabledLife
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-???-
It was hard to imagine the thoughts that must have gone through the people on this planet. Teana, looking at the ruins that extended throughout every corner, felt a rising sense of pity. Knowing full well the same reaction was going on with her friend, but the latter hid it quite well.
"Did you find anything, Subaru?" Her voice echoed faintly across the desolate street. The ruins of the once-lively city sprawled endlessly ahead, with burned cars, vines growing in every corner, and a thin layer of moss. The wind carried only the faint rustle of leaves from the nearby trees, no signs of life beyond the occasional flutter of a bird fleeing from their approach. Both Subaru and Teana crossed the broken road, following the route marked earlier by Lutecia's insect scouts.
"Can't say," Subaru replied, landing lightly after vaulting down from a half-collapsed pillar. Dust puffed around her boots as she straightened, her blue hair catching the faint light that filtered through the clouded sky. "Everything looks calm here. The whole place is basically dead, as far as I can tell. Makes me wonder if those creatures we saw earlier just ran off after getting scared of us. Can't really blame them… we did a pretty good job back there; even I'd be scared."
She made a small sound of acknowledgment, her gaze drifting over the collapsed buildings and shattered glass. Even if she wanted to dismiss Subaru's words, the girl couldn't shake the odd silence hanging over the ruins. Lutecia had been certain that clusters of those undead creatures were still roaming nearby. The absence of movement and no sound at all definitely felt worrisome.
"Maybe those things aren't completely mindless after all," Subaru murmured after a pause, her tone growing quieter. "It's a bit grim when you think about it. Are those things still clinging to fragments of who they used to be? Imagine the people who once lived here, still aware but trapped inside those twisted shells. Watching everything fall apart, unable to stop themselves."
Teana stepped closer and gave her a gentle pat on the back. Her voice softened. "Don't think about it too much. Sometimes it's better not to know. If you want to see the bright side, at least we put them out of their misery."
"Unless there's still a cure out there," Subaru replied under her breath, kicking away a stray rock nearby. Yet even as she said it, her tone lacked confidence. It had been months since the incident, and no cure had surfaced or a way to reverse what had already occurred. The thought lingered for quite a while. She exhaled slowly and nodded, "Yeah… probably best to turn that part of my brain off for a while."
A brief silence followed as the two continued through the wreckage. Then Subaru spoke again, seemingly out of nowhere. "You know, I'm kind of surprised that it wasn't Fate."
Teana blinked, glancing over with a raised brow. "Fate? What do you mean?"
"I mean, the whole relationship thing is going on with Shirou choosing Nanoha. I was fully convinced that it would have been Fate; those two got along so well from the start," said the girl while pushing away another slab of concrete as they went deeper into the ruins. "I used to see them together more often than Nanoha and the others — hard not to notice given how frequently she hung out around the apartment. Especially lately with Vivio around. If you ignore the context, they practically looked like a family. The kid with her mother's hair and her father's eyes, it just fit somehow."
"Pretty sure Vivio has heterochromia," Teana replied, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "And none of those eye colors is remotely similar to what Shirou has, with his being golden brown."
Her friend hummed thoughtfully, pretending to think it over. "His face, then?"
She shrugged. "Sure, let's go with that. Still, I don't see why it surprises you that he's with Nanoha now. She's the same way, isn't she? Vivio adores her, and so does Lutecia."
"I guess Nanoha gives off more of an older sister vibe compared to Fate," Subaru said with a short laugh. "But that's just me. Either way, I'm glad those two ended up together. I just hope things work out for them and that they don't get buried in whatever's happening with Jail right now. We still don't know if that guy's even alive. Without a clear answer, it's hard to relax."
To that, she agreed. In a short span of time, they had to deal with a multitude of problems related to that person.
"I doubt he'll try to come after Shirou again," Teana added, hoping that she would not be proven wrong anytime soon. "After what happened last time, losing the Saint's Cradle must've been a huge blow. If I were him, I'd steer clear of that man like he was a natural disaster."
That made both of them laugh. The thought of Shirou as some unstoppable calamity didn't quite fit the image they had of him. Despite his frightening prowess when it came to the sword and range battle, he had never struck them as destructive. If anything, the way the man behaved or treated them felt similar to a caretaker at times, though he wasn't above tossing out a sarcastic remark when the moment suited him. It was enough to catch them off guard now and then.
Teana smirked faintly at the memory. To her, he often came across as a polite brat at times, the kind who acted mature yet couldn't resist throwing the occasional jab when no one expected it. Not that she would ever dare say that to his face.
"Let's make sure there won't be a next time," Subaru said firmly, slapping her palms together with a sharp crack. The metallic hum of her devices answered the gesture, glowing faintly with gathered mana. Soon, the two of them resumed their path through the dead city. "I want to get this done as soon as possible and go home."
"You don't have to tell m—hm?" The brunette's words caught in her throat as she stopped mid-step, her body tensing. Subaru halted beside her almost instantly, both girls turning their heads sharply toward a building in the distance. Their eyes narrowed, instincts kicking in before words could form.
"Did you hear that?"
"No, but I definitely saw something move over there."
That was enough. They didn't need to speak further. Years of training and living together made verbal communication unnecessary during such moments. Teena's hand reached for her device, while her partner already had her weapon active as the large, bulky gauntlets covered her arms with several parts spinning. A single nod between them and Subaru made the first move.
A glowing platform materialized beneath the brunette's roller skates, lifting her upward in a smooth arc that angled straight toward the fifth floor, all the while her partner kept watch from the back, and from that new vantage point, she spotted movement. Several distorted shadows peeling themselves away from the darkness within the building and walking into the sunlight for both of them to see.
"Incoming!" she shouted.
Without hesitation, she fired with the barrel of her Cross Mirage, glowing a bright red color. Her weapon unleashed a rapid burst of shots, streaks of light striking necks, chests, and skulls. Each hit left a faint shimmer before tearing through its target. The air was filled with the crack of energy bolts and the faint stench of iron.
"Damn it," she muttered, annoyed that her accuracy wavered without her usual tracer enchantments. While the enchanted rounds would normally hone in precisely, at that moment, she was relying on manual aim. Her bullets still found lethal marks, but not always the intended ones. Something that she felt proud of accomplishing in the past, now just felt like a lackluster performance when compared to someone else… The difference frustrated her.
"Knuckle Buster!"
Below, Subaru engaged directly, her armored fists glowing faintly blue. She crushed the skull of a nearby ghoul with a single blow, the creature collapsing into a splatter of bone, and even shattered the ground below with ease. The sight still made both girls flinch, but they managed to ignore it soon after.
"Shit, careful! There are way more of them hiding within!" Subaru shouted, momentarily retreating backwards to avoid getting overwhelmed. "Caliber Shoot!" Using her skates to slice up a few of them that got a bit too close with ease. Able to recover swiftly by jumping around from chunks of concrete to another as they all crumbled.
Yet the swarm didn't stop. More of the creatures poured from the building's shattered windows, tumbling toward Subaru like a collapsing wave. She raised her guard, scanning the motionless sky for escape routes. The bodies of the fallen piled along the edge, some slipping over the ledge and disappearing into the night.
"Look out!" Teana's voice cut through the chaos.
"Get back, I'll take care of those at the front!" Subaru barked, and her weapon fired a cord of light that wrapped around a nearby lamppost. The line tightened instantly, yanking her upward and out of the mob's reach. The ground below erupted as dozens of ghouls crashed into each other, their claws scraping concrete in frustration.
"Cross Fire Shoot!"
Midair, she twisted gracefully and unleashed several explosive bullets, orange spheres of mana colliding into the pack below. Her gun released a flurry of reinforced blasts while Subaru joined in from above, using a more aggressive form of approach by crushing her opponent. Together, they cut through waves of the undead, but something didn't add up in her mind.
"Why aren't they attacking us?" Teana asked, pausing her fire for a moment. Noticing this odd behaviour after one of these creatures in particular rushed straight past her as she intended to use the dagger form of her gun to cut its head.
Subaru frowned, watching the swarm also rush past her position as if neither of them existed. "Weird… It's like they don't even see us. They're ignoring everything."
"They aren't trying to dodge or defend either," Teana added, eyes narrowing further. "Doesn't look like they're even scared of us, like we thought earlier."
A grim thought crossed her mind. "Call Erio and Caro. These things are heading somewhere; they might be able to lead us to the relic — this is definitely not normal. They might even be in danger if too many of them show up."
"Got it," Subaru replied, already tapping her communicator.
"I'll try to reach Shirou and Lutecia," Teana added. "We'll keep following the horde from above."
With a plan in mind, both of them leapt from rooftop to rooftop, their skates and grapples carrying them across the cityscape with ease. From that far high, the previously quiet city immediately became a loud hellscape with sounds of windows shattering, her own gun firing occasionally to clear off the rooftop, and the chilling groans from below. The horde grew thicker, joined by more ghouls emerging from alleys and abandoned buildings. At this rate, the mass of creatures formed a dark, writhing tide moving toward the city's center.
A sense of dread pressed against Teana's chest, and she tried calling Shirou again. "Tch, no answer. Something must have happened to them!"
Meanwhile, Subaru managed to get through to Erio and Caro. Within minutes, the two youngsters arrived with the brown haired boy standing atop a dragon, Caro perched behind him with her staff glowing faintly. The dragon descended, and he jumped off before it even landed, touching down beside them.
"Are you all okay?" he asked, scanning them for injuries.
"We should be asking you that," Subaru said while checking the younger pair over. "What's going on? Any clue what triggered this? They aren't even reacting to any attacks or even our presence."
Caro shook her head, her pink hair flowing wildly as the creature batted its wings. "No idea. We were just patrolling the outskirts when these things started appearing everywhere. They completely ignored us, same as what you're describing."
Teana frowned deeply, tightening her grip on her weapon. "That's not natural. If they're converging like this, it has to be related to a relic."
The group exchanged uneasy glances, each of them aware that the relics rarely caused anything like this… so it had to be something else. The ground below continued to rumble, the horde's synchronized march growing louder.
Teana exhaled slowly, best not to panic, and there was no reason to feel like that. If these ghouls ignored all four of them, then it was very likely that the same was going on with Shirou. "Then we follow. Whatever's drawing them out, we'll find it before they do."
The four nodded in unison. Above them, the dragon roared, spreading its wings as the group prepared to move again. "Since when does a relic have the ability to control so many creatures at once?"
"You're not even sure if it's the standard kind of relic we're used to dealing with or something else entirely," Suabru replied as they entered the ruined street. "It could even be a person behind all of this, for all we know."
Teana frowned. With involvement in nearly every recent incident, the suspicion wasn't far-fetched. "I really hope it's not him," she muttered. "If it is, we'll need to capture him once and for all. He's been relentless lately."
The group pressed on without further talk, not ignoring the ghouls and continuing to let their weapons cut through a handful of creatures that blocked their path. Each time one of the twisted ghouls lunged from the shadows, a burst of mana, a shot, or a slash met it in kind.
"Something's going on over there!" Erio shouted, pointing ahead. They stopped at once, and Teana followed the direction of the boy's hand and found herself frozen at the sight before her. For a moment, she doubted her own eyes.
"Are those… swords?" she asked quietly.
It should have been an easy question, yet what unfolded in front of them was anything but ordinary. Dozens, no, hundreds of blades materialized out of thin air, glinting like shards of light due to the sunlight shining across the surface before raining down on the horde below. The sound of the roars grew more intense and drowned out the storm of steel slicing through bone and flesh with terrifying precision. Each sword struck its intended target without a single one of them missing, impaling or cleaving through multiple creatures before even more similar copies showed up several times.
In the center of it all stood a redheaded boy. Even in that dangerous situation, he remained seemingly confident of not getting overwhelmed, walking forward through the massacre. Every ghoul that tried to approach got impaled in an instant, without him even needing to use the swords she had grown used to seeing him fight with during their spar.
"I thought he could only create one or a handful of swords at a time," Teana whispered, eyes wide with disbelief at their sheer number.
The sight was intimidating, yet strangely beautiful. Each sword, even the most regular-looking one, managed to cause as much damage as a powerful spell. Short swords, longswords, gladii, and several other variations of bladed weapons had shown up. The boy never looked where he aimed.
Cross Mirage could fire volleys of bullets at once, but the more she spread her projectiles, the less control she had with each of them. Each bullet needed her focus and attention to aim properly, or it risked hitting anything in front of her other than the target. Yet that did not look like an issue for Shirou, who definitely was not able to focus on so many weapons at the same time when firing… at least, that was what she believed.
"I don't even think we need to intervene here," Erio said after a moment, lowering his spear slightly while letting out an awkward chuckle. "Even Lutecia is there to help him out if needed, I don't think she's injured."
Despite knowing he was safe and that Lutecia was standing protected behind him, Teana felt a faint pang of disappointment. In this battle, he didn't need their help at all. No strategy, no teamwork, he had everything handled… The rest of them were spectators at best.
"Holy shit, what is that?" Subaru blurted out suddenly, pointing beyond the whirl of swords.
Her voice pulled everyone's attention past the flying steel to something massive in the distance. Between flashes of light and the chorus of blades striking, they managed to glimpse it. What they saw made several of them recoil, and it did not take long for the orange-haired gunslinger to figure it out. "I think we found what was making these ghouls act strangely. It's that thing for sure."
A creature towered amid the chaos, its grotesque body formed of countless fused corpses. The mass of flesh pulsed and shifted like molten wax, limbs jutting and retracting as if the thing couldn't decide on a single shape. Eyes opened and closed randomly across its surface, many of which did not even look human. The longer they looked, the more their stomachs churned.
"That's the thing controlling the ghouls," Teana said grimly.
Now it made sense. None of the smaller creatures had tried to flee or protect each other; they were somehow linked to this thing that had them in control like some sort of hive mind. Whether through a hive mind or a parasitic link, she could not be certain, nor was she willing to find out any time soon if there were more of these around. The creature didn't care about losing its lesser bodies; it only wanted to survive, to keep itself from getting torn into shreds amongst Shirou's rain of weapons.
The swords continued their assault, piercing its flesh with relentless rhythm. Each strike drew a shriek that didn't sound like any single voice but rather hundreds crying out together.
"Should we help out?" Subaru asked uncertainly, clutching her weapon tighter.
Her question hung in the air as they all watched the redhead advance closer to the monstrosity. The sound of blades clashing and flesh tearing drowned out everything else. He didn't hesitate, didn't even flinch as shards of bloodied metal rained beside him.
Teana exhaled slowly, her gaze fixed on him. In that moment, he seemed less like a mere ally and more like a force of nature—a walking arsenal that erased everything in his path.
Whether relic, human, or something in between, there was no denying the truth of what they saw. The boy who commanded countless blades moved like a shadow of war, and the world around him bowed to his will.
"I know it doesn't look like he needs any help, but it's not like Shirou has an unlimited amount of energy. At this rate, he'll eventually run out."
A brief silence followed after that statement, with no one who could argue against it. Just as they were debating what to do, the rhythm of the sword projections slowed. Then, before their eyes, the red-haired man rushed forward, holding both Kanshou and Bakuya. Moving quite fast and giving both girls a memory from the time they fought him, with several slashes removing another obstacle between him and the monstrous creature.
In a blur of motion, he threw several copies of the same black and white swords, all of which impaled the monster like a porcupine. Then he creates another copy for himself and closes the distance between them. Impaling the final blades within its face, jumping away just in time for all weapons to start glowing with an eerie blue colour. "Take cover!"
The group realized what was about to happen and took cover right as an explosion ensued. With all blades detonating at once and sending shards of steel everywhere. The beast howled in agony, a sound that sent a shiver through the ruins around them. The creature staggered, its colossal form trembling before collapsing into the bloodstained dirt with a heavy, final thud. With Shirou then approaching and removing something from within that thing.
"..."
"..."
The silence was pretty loud with how loudly the fight ended, with them having just arrived and not even getting an opportunity to help him out.
"Hah… guess we were too late in the end. He handled it himself regardless," Subaru muttered, lowering her head with a deep sigh that followed. The others around her nodded silently, the odd atmosphere beginning to dissolve into relief. Teana, however, remained fixated on the scene ahead. Her eyes followed Shirou, noting how his posture stiffened as he crouched beside the fallen creature. His attention was drawn not to the battlefield but to something in his hands, an object he seemed to have retrieved from the beast's remains.
"It doesn't look like a relic," she whispered under her breath. Her brows furrowed before she shook her head, forcing herself to focus. Worry outweighed curiosity. "Let's go down."
She activated one of her spells, an orange circle forming beneath her boots before lowering her gently to the ground. Her landing was soft, yet the moment her feet touched the soil, the eerie atmosphere of the place pressed against her. From her point of view down below, this looked no different than those battlefields from olden times when people fought with swords and shields. Having seen a few depictions from her history books, but that did little justice to the actual thing.
Then again, most of these were ghouls and not humans… anymore.
The air smelled faintly of blood and sewage, enough to give her nausea. Most of the blades were still intact, their hilts jutting out of the ground like markers near a grave. The fact that his swords did not look like magical constructs did help in selling the image. Longswords etched with worn handles, chipped edges, with some curved short blades dulled by age.
Teana felt drawn to them. Without realizing it, she reached out and rested her fingers on the hilt of one sword. Its grip was somehow warm and strangely comfortable beneath her touch. A faint amount of goosebumps coursed up her arm, the kind that sent her heart beating just a bit faster. Quickly, she pulled back, shaking her head and taking a quiet breath. 'Best I don't touch his weapons without permission. No wonder Jail is interested in capturing him; these weapons are frighteningly sharp, and an anti-magic field does not even work on them.'
Moments later, the swords began to dissolve. One by one, they shimmered and broke apart into countless motes of blue light. The glow drifted upward, illuminating the battlefield with an otherworldly beauty. Had it not been for the blood soaking the ground, it might have been mistaken for a peaceful sight. Unfortunately, that moment barely lasted a few seconds before their communication devices turned on.
"Agent Teana, Agent Subaru, you and your team are ordered to return to the main ship immediately. This is a direct command. I will not accept delays," a stern voice barked from the communicator. The tone was rough, older… definitely not from Hayate.
Teana blinked, startled, exchanging a brief look with Subaru, who was already just as confused as she, then turned toward Shirou, who answered loud enough for them to hear the following words.
"Sorry. I can't do that."
The channel went silent.
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What would Rin have done at this moment?
It was a question he often asked himself when caught in situations where every decision carried weight. Over the years he'd spent with her, Rin had taught him one truth: hesitation could be fatal. She acted decisively, even when the outcome was dodgy. That was her speciality, and one of the things he had always admired most about her, though it often dragged them into trouble. One case in particular, he recalled being with the heir of the Edelfelt family, having him serve as her butler for a day, just because she won a bet against Rin.
Regardless, she used to tease him that he was no different, perhaps even worse. Reckless, impulsive, and too willing to shoulder everything alone. And now, standing here, he could not deny that she had been right. Once again, her words echoed through his mind.
"Emiya Shirou."
The voice cut through his thoughts and pulled him back from reminiscing about memories of the past. In its place stretched a spacious office dimly lit by white light, where he barely even saw the faces of those ahead. He stood at the center, surrounded by a semicircle of desks where high-ranking officers sat watching him.
Several faces were unfamiliar, their expressions unreadable. Others, he recognized. Among them was one man whose presence stirred unpleasant memories, a superior he had had some arguments with not long ago.
"Your team was instructed to investigate the anomaly affecting this planet," one of the officers began, his tone clipped and formal. "You were informed that our intelligence identified the possible source of the catastrophe as a relic. Is that correct?"
Shirou gave a short nod.
"I repeat," the officer continued, flipping through the pages of a report before him, "your mission was to locate the relic, secure it, and return it to the Bureau for containment. You were ordered to ensure it did not fall into the wrong hands. Is that correct?"
"Yes," he said evenly. "That was the order."
The words lingered between them with nothing but the sounds of the pages flipping and a few murmurs from those present. He had noticed how Hayate was not present, despite having asked about where she had gone, but no one gave him an answer. Same with both Nanoha and Fate, none of them present here when he was called.
So, he continued to speak. "It wasn't even certain if there was a relic in the first place. We were only told to investigate and retrieve the source in case we found one. The assumption that it was a relic was merely a guess, nothing more," he explained, hoping to clarify the situation. His words, however, met little understanding. The faces around him turned uneasy, a few frowns tightening across the group.
"Yes, we did find the source and dealt with the matter. I don't believe it will happen again," he added after a pause. "Unless there were other gems that ended up on the planet." He doubted that possibility. Rin had been entirely focused on that single piece, the one containing the majority of her energy reserves. He still remembered seeing her spend entire days working with it, using spells and methods he could not make heads and tails about… as long as it did not blow up their apartment, he was happy. She had never used another gem with such importance, so he doubted there was another one.
'She not only sent me to another world but also her most important piece… she must be pissed. At this point, I'm kind of glad I'm not there and being at the mercy of her anger.' He wanted to laugh, but held back.
"That is not for you to decide. Unless you are the one behind this," muttered the man he remembered as Gaiz Regius. The accusation nearly drew a sigh from him. Giving this man the satisfaction of a reaction would be unwise, especially in front of everyone here.
"Please, calm down, Regius. You're scaring the boy; he has helped us save many lives on this planet when we first found him, and even had us retrieve the Saint's Cradle. He has been under observation for so long and has had many opportunities to betray us." Another elderly man intervened, his tone warm as he had already made his stance clear enough. The reminder seemed to work, and Regius leaned back in his chair, though his eyes never left Shirou.
"Let's move past this," the third voice spoke, calm but with an air of finality. "The orders are clear. Hand over the relic so it can be secured safely away from harm."
The grip on the gem in his hand tightened. This was the moment he had been dreading, though retreat was out of the question. He met their collective gaze and spoke evenly. "It's not a relic. And again, I assure you, it poses no danger to anyone."
"And how would you know that?" another man asked, his tone curious rather than hostile.
"I believe I mentioned this before," Shirou began, exhaling softly. "I arrived here by accident. An experiment went wrong and somehow threw me into this reality. The accident in question involved one of my closest friends, who was testing her own version of what you might consider highly advanced magecraft bordering on True Magic. During that experiment, she used this particular gem as a kind of fuel to empower her spell. That was when everything went wrong."
He hesitated briefly, running a hand through his hair. "I suppose it must have been pulled along with me when I was displaced. But with how chaotic everything was back then, I didn't notice until much later. Now it barely holds any energy after being overused by that thing. At best, it's just a high-quality gemstone."
Inwardly, he pictured Rin's expression if she heard him describing her experiment in such plain terms. She would have scowled, maybe even called him an idiot for simplifying her work so carelessly. He almost smiled at the thought before forcing his attention back to the group.
"And we're supposed to take your word for that?" Gaiz snapped suddenly, slamming his fist against the table. The sound echoed sharply through the room. "For all we know, this thing is what caused that disaster to begin with! And if it's truly just a gemstone right now, then you should have no problem handing it over!"
The outburst made Shirou's eyelids twitch. "No, that's not possible," he replied quickly, keeping his tone even. "I don't know how those creatures came to exist, but Rin's magecraft doesn't involve necromancy or any kind of way to change people into such creatures. She isn't an Apostle. She doesn't raise the dead or twist them into monsters. Whatever that thing was, it existed before I arrived and was using the gem as a power source, not something born from her craft. I also can't give it to you since it's the only item from my world I have found. I can't let it go."
He spoke carefully, trying to present his reasoning clearly, but the expressions facing his face remained mixed. Doubt lingered on nearly every face. Some looked thoughtful, others skeptical, and a few simply tired of the argument.
"Let's say we believe you," the man in charge said after a few moments of silence. "If we assume your account is true, then the gem still needs to be handed over. It's imperative that we study it, confirm its properties, and ensure whatever created that creature doesn't repeat itself. We might even uncover something useful from it."
Shirou's fingers flexed around the item in question, feeling its faint pulse of energy against his palm. The idea of handing it over did not sit well with him. It wasn't distrust of them exactly, but rather what this thing had that he knew nothing about. For all he knew, she was even researching something about a jewel sword when working on this item, and for all he knew, this item could do more than just store energy. And having the entirety of TSAB possibly uncover its secrets could be dangerous.
For a moment, the room fell silent. The faint hum of the fluorescent lights filled the pause. Shirou looked around, noting how each pair of eyes seemed to expect submission.
A complicated expression crossed his face once again. Had it been one of his own swords, or even a matter related to his magecraft, he would have gladly demonstrated every single step without hesitation, even if the observers tried to imitate him. He had never feared imitation; back in his world, Rin herself had experimented with the seven steps of projection before he vanished. Yet she also reminded him, more than once, how dangerous it could be if her studies ever fell into the wrong hands. Those warnings still echoed in his mind, and with Jail's involvement and the words Zest had left behind, trusting anyone in this place aside from a handful of people felt impossible.
"I really can't," he said quietly at last. "This belongs to a close friend of mine, and it's important that I protect it, just as she would have wanted."
"Safeguard it?" Gaiz scoffed, folding his arms as his glare hardened. "This is ridiculous. I don't know how you can be arrogant enough to believe that you hold the capabilities of protecting this item by yourself, and how we will just take your word for it. We've seen forces arrogant enough to attack Midchilda's own base. And you're telling me you'll just keep it hidden?" His voice rose until it filled the chamber. "Why should we even believe you that this thing has been rendered useless? Or that it contains only a small amount of energy? Do you take us for fools? Whatever it is, that device is clearly more than a simple power source! It did something to that creature, we all saw it!"
"I can't explain how that thing came to be," Shirou said slowly. "But the outbreak on that planet started before I arrived. There has to be another explanation for it."
A murmur spread through the officers gathered around the table, their faces unreadable in the pale overhead light. None of their whispers carried in his favor. Seconds stretched into something longer, and the silence became a quiet verdict before one of them finally spoke.
"While we acknowledge that some of your points have merit, this is not a matter we can simply overlook. We cannot allow that item to remain in your possession. You will be asked one more time to hand over the gem. If you do not comply, we will have no choice but to detain you and take it by force."
The words lingered in the air, and Shirou said nothing, scanning the faces surrounding him. There was no warmth there, only a cautious distrust, and the elderly man from earlier was giving him an apologetic look. Thoughts flickered across his mind in rapid succession. He could surrender the jewel and hope Rin would forgive him for failing to keep it safe, or he could resist and risk everything on principle. Giving it away would be easy, but once it was out of his hands, he could never guarantee who might end up using it or how.
Bam!
Before he could decide, the door burst open with a loud bang that echoed through the room. Everyone turned as Hayate strode in with an expression that was a mixture of disbelief and irritation, her narrowed eyes immediately finding Gaiz before narrowing even further into a hard stare.
"What is going on here? I was informed this was meant to be a small debriefing," she said, her tone clipped. "A simple report from Shirou about what occurred down there. Not an actual interrogation where you are forcing him into a corner, from the looks of it!"
"Commander Hayate," Gaiz said stiffly, turning toward her but not lowering his voice, "this is not a matter you should involve yourself in. Your clear bias toward the boy makes it impossible for you to remain neutral. You cannot make an objective decision when it comes to him."
"I am his commander," Hayate replied, crossing her arms with firm authority. "He works under me, and that gives me every right to step in. If he's being treated unfairly, then I will intervene."
The tension between them felt almost tangible now, like two opposing currents colliding in the confined space. Gaiz exhaled heavily, clearly frustrated, but he didn't back down. "We have no personal issue with him. We only need him to surrender the object he retrieved from the wreckage. It could be the source of the infection that spread across the colony. So far, he's refused to cooperate and insists on keeping it."
Hayate turned to Shirou, her eyes searching his face. "Shirou?" she asked quietly. "Is that true?"
He hesitated, then offered her a faint, apologetic smile. "I can't," he whispered after a pause, making sure only she could hear it. "It's complicated. This gem belonged to a friend, someone who trusted me with it. I can't share her secrets with anyone. But I can tell you that it's highly unlikely it caused the outbreak. That's not how her magecraft works, and she has been using this thing for other purposes, so having someone tamper with it could be very dangerous."
Hayate studied him for a long moment, then glanced back at Gaius and the others. "Alright, I see what's going on," she said. "Until there's evidence that proves otherwise, there's no reason to assume that a gem is the cause. Our focus should be on containing what happened, not harassing one of our own. He has proven time and time again that he's on our side, so why are you all treating us like someone we can't trust?"
Some of the officers exchanged uneasy glances but said nothing. He could still sense the distrust beneath the surface, and despite Hayate's presence, it was clear this confrontation was far from over. Hayate, meanwhile, stood with quiet defiance beside him.
He truly felt bad, and the weight of that guilt pressed against his chest. He knew perfectly well that this situation placed her in a difficult position, and the chance of this confrontation turning into something dangerous was far from small. "I do not want to hand it over because I am afraid it might end up in the wrong hands. It could create even more trouble in the future for all of us," he said firmly.
"Are you accusing us?" One of the men spoke for the first time from the side. "The Time-Space Administrative Bureau is an organization that exists to protect the world, not cause disorder. Are you really accusing us of being untrustworthy?"
He did not respond to the outburst, instead keeping his attention locked on Hayate. "Is there truly no way you can change your mind?" she asked.
"I… I can trust you. If it is just to confirm what this gem is and to clear up the misunderstanding, then yes. But I cannot let it out of my sight," he answered carefully. Though he had not spoken the rest aloud, the meaning behind his words was clear. Hayate recognized it, and she gave a small nod with an apologetic smile, tugging at her lips. "It saddens me. I am your commander, and I promised you that you would be safe, that you could trust the Time-Space Administrative Bureau. But clearly, I did not take into account that, aside from good people, there are always others who bring trouble not only to others but to themselves as well."
"Do not blame yourself," he said quietly, rubbing the back of his head. "You have done far more for me than I will ever be able to repay."
Hayate inclined her head slightly, drawing in a slow breath before closing her eyes and then opening them again with renewed resolve. "I will be a bit selfish here and ask you to trust me once more. Can you do that?" she said, extending her hand toward him.
He hesitated, his mind running through the consequences, but then realized that this might be the best outcome he could hope for. Anything else would only give the others reason to label him as something far worse, which would make protecting Lutecia far harder, nearly impossible. "Alright," he said at last. With a faint smile, he placed the orange gem into her palm. In the background, the man's expression shifted into a slight smirk.
"You have done well, Commander Hayate. By letting go of your bias, you have thankfully not allowed yourself to be—"
"Who said I am handing this over to you?" she cut in sharply, which sounded so unlike her usual tone that it startled even him at her side and several officers posted nearby. The man froze, eyes widening as if he had been waiting for her to simply hand it over, only to watch Hayate slip the gem into her pocket instead. "What is the meaning of this?" he demanded.
"I should be asking you that," she replied evenly. "Now that Shirou has complied with the orders and handed over the gem, this should no longer be an issue."
"He did not hand over the gem to—"
"He did," she snapped, cutting Gaiz off again and crossing her arms. "I am a commander, part of the Time-Space Administrative Bureau. I represent our organization just as much as you do, and his handing the item to me should be no different. I will overlook your attempts to keep me away from this meeting, and even your choice to call back the team behind my back, but I draw the line here. Push any further, and I will retaliate, Commander."
A dense silence settled across the room, heavy and suffocating. Several officers exchanged uneasy glances, while others simply watched in silence, their faces showing everything from unease to disbelief.
"I feel like lately, Commander Hayate, you have become far bolder since this outsider appeared," the man finally said, his voice cold and cutting.
"Personally, I don't think so," she replied evenly. "But even if that were the case, I don't see the problem. So why would you?"
Clearly unwilling to continue the exchange, the man gave a low scoff before turning his back to her and walking toward the door at the far end of the room. "Tread carefully, Commander Hayate. You can only shield this outsider for so long before you find yourself caught in the storm that follows him. He is a risk not just to us, but to the Bureau as a whole."
"Thank you for the advice," she said cheerfully, the edge in her smile impossible to miss. "I'll be sure to remember that."
He let out a faint "Hmph" before exiting, the door shutting behind him with a dull thud.
.
.
.
Within the quiet hallways, Regius' footsteps echoed, each step heavier than the last. His overall demeanour, visibly clear for anyone to see, was anger and frustration. Both emotions, evident not just on his face, were also the way he walked with his hands curled up into a fist. The man almost looked like he was ready to punch the first person he came across.
"I take it things did not go well," came a voice from ahead. A woman with light brown hair approached, and glasses approached, clipboard in hand, her expression as calm and neutral as ever. His earlier anger heavily subsided as soon as his eyes landed on her.
"She's starting to get on my nerves," he muttered. "Always covering for him, always finding a way to protect him. After today, I doubt she'll take her eyes off him for even a second."
"Do we let the matter drop, then?" she asked quietly.
He shook his head. "No. He's not telling the full truth; I can tell there is more to that thing. It's far too convenient for that gem he found to be just a depleted energy source. Even now, he refuses to surrender it, which only proves there's something more hidden within. The problem now is that it's in Hayate's hands. She won't hand it over easily, and for all we know, she might return it to the boy after pretending it's harmless." He paused, his tone lowering. "Any word from him, Auris?"
"He has reviewed the footage," Auris replied. "He admits it has caught his attention. He said that if we require help, he's willing to assist."
The man let out a short, derisive laugh. "Is that man still under the illusion that he can mount another major invasion like before without facing an even greater loss? He may have a brilliant mind, but without his main trump card, what could a handful of drones possibly do? Midchilda has already doubled its defences; another attack would not even require them to send any high-ranked mages." He spoke with cold disdain, brushing past her without noticing the faint twitch that crossed her expression as he did.
"Then what do you propose?"
The man took a few seconds to ponder their next move. He was in no hurry, nor desperate enough to go after that item at the expense of his own side. Though his animosity and strained history with Hayate were well known, he still acknowledged her as one of the strongest mages alive. Going against her would be nothing short of suicide, yet he wasn't willing to back down easily.
"She brought this upon herself. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before she eventually backs away," he said at last, turning toward the exit.
The woman didn't follow. Instead, she watched him leave, her gaze narrowing as the door closed. A few moments passed before her face started to morph, short hair turning to long straight ones, both face and eyes changing till they resembled someone entirely different, then she reached into her coat and retrieved a small device. The screen flickered to life, revealing Jail's face, the man looking far healthier than during their last conversation.
"Anything to report, Due?" Jail asked. "He hasn't discovered your identity, right?"
She shook her head. "No, I made sure to dispose of the body and behave just like the original one to avoid any suspicions. Also, it's as you said. He wasn't able to do anything. Commander Hayate has gone out of her way to keep him protected," she replied.
Jail hummed, unsurprised. "I expected as much. Gaiz is many things, but he lacks the drive to push boundaries and take unconventional risks. He's useful only to a point, and beyond that, he becomes more of a burden than an asset."
"Should I make my move and retrieve Quattro? Or should I dispose of Regius as well?"
"No, not yet. Capturing Emiya Shirou would only lead to the same result as before. Doing such drastic actions will draw too much attention back to us, and Regius is still of use to me. Our current resources aren't enough to hold or suppress Emiya Shirou's magic. It's too volatile and far removed from what we understand. But I am curious about what he has given to the Commander. Hayate may be a greater threat to us, yet her power is still of this world. She's not unbeatable… You know what to do."
"Understood."
The screen went dark. Due exhaled softly, sliding the device back into her pocket and reverting back to Auris' face as she turned towards the door and stepped out, spotting Regius waiting on the other side with a faint frown.
"You're late," he said.
"My apologies, Father."
{Break}
(A few hours later)
"Home sweet home," Shirou murmured. Subaru had been right; he'd started to see this planet as home too, and returning filled him with quiet relief.
"The mission actually turned out to be short and successful, I'd say. I honestly expected them to have us scouring the entire planet for those creatures and wiping out every last one," Teana added, stretching his shoulders.
"That would be impossible, even for us," Subaru replied. "There could be millions of those things. Even with our mana reserves, it would take months, maybe years, of constant fighting. I have confidence in my stamina, but that sort of life sounds like torture. I'd lose my mind before we were halfway done."
"Tell me about it. I already lost my appetite just seeing all those walking corpses. Sorry, Shirou, I'll be skipping dinner again. I don't think I can stomach anything tonight," she said, her face faintly green.
He gave a small shrug. "Don't worry, I won't be making anything heavy. Maybe something sweet, just to cleanse the palate."
"Good idea."
Though he smiled at her response, his mind was elsewhere. The weight of recent events lingered in his thoughts. He was dissatisfied, both with how close he'd come to causing trouble for Hayate and with the growing possibility that things might only get worse if certain people kept insisting on stirring up conflict with him. It was starting to feel too much like the Clock Tower all over again.
The spaceship touched down near the headquarters, its metallic hull humming softly as the landing struts settled into place. The doors opened with a hiss, and a rush of cooler air filled the cabin. One by one, the crew began stepping out, with Fate going first as she wanted to check up on Vivio. Nanoha, on the other hand, stayed by his side for a bit longer, having heard what happened earlier and having kept him company. "It's really rare for Hayate to genuinely get angry like that. I don't know why Regius is coming after you to such an extent, so you'll have to stay careful, Shirou."
Lutecia walked alongside him as well, nodding her head. "He is a bad person."
"Well, I wouldn't say bad, yet, but he definitely does not like me. Hah… eh? Ah!" In the middle of his speech, he had not expected a pair of lips to gently press against his. This action even surprised Lutecia, who looked at the two with widened eyes and a slack jaw.
"Feel better?" Nanoha asked, even leaning closer with her eyes meeting his. "Or would you like another one?"
"..."
Several thoughts crossed his mind, yet he already had his answer when he moved in to return the favour. This time, the surprise formed on her face, instincts having already grabbed hold of his actions with his hand gently caressing her cheeks and his other arm circling around her waist to pull her closer. Momentarily get lost in the sensation of her soft lips, her fragrance, and much more. This went on for long enough that Nanoha ended up being the one who backed away with a reddened face. "W-Woah, ha-haha… w-we should continue this somewhere more private."
She did not even give him time to respond before walking away quickly, holding onto Lutecia, who was still in pure shock.
"... No wonder she likes teasing me, it's addicting." He muttered with a slight smirk growing on his face. Part of him wanted to see more of that face, and he did not miss what she said at the end of her phrase, which meant she liked it as well. Looking forward to more than just cooking, Shirou was about to follow shortly after, though he stopped when he felt a gentle tug at his sleeve. Turning around, he saw Hayate standing there, her expression calm yet expectant.
"Hold on there, lover boy. Can I have a small moment to talk with you?" she asked with a hint of amusement. "I promise I won't hold you back for long. Pretty sure Nanoha is looking forward to being with you."
He nodded without hesitation while scratching the back of his head. "Sorry about earlier, I thought we were alone…" He assumed she wanted to discuss what had happened earlier, perhaps to clarify something about the mission. But to his surprise, she reached into her coat pocket, pulled out a small gem, and placed it carefully into his palm.
"What?" he asked, puzzled by the gesture.
"I wasn't really planning to take something important that once belonged to your friend," she waved her hand and explained. "I only made it look that way so the others would think it was with me. That way, they wouldn't bother you anymore. Most of the higher-ups are decent people, but they're bound by rules, and sometimes those rules can make things more complicated than they already are. Then there are people like Regius, who has been a pain. I would say that I'm happy that he's no longer targeting me, but that would be a lie."
He frowned slightly. "If you're giving this back, won't that cause you trouble?"
To his mild astonishment, Hayate simply shrugged. "Nothing like that. I'm still a commander, remember? I can just say we ran some tests and found no danger in it, so we returned it. It's not as complicated as you might think. I have my ways." She finished with a small grin, the kind that made it difficult to tell whether she was serious or joking.
He felt a mix of gratitude and guilt wash over him. These people had gone out of their way to help him, and the sense of debt he owed them only grew stronger. "Now I feel kind of silly worrying about this the whole way back," he admitted.
Hayate laughed softly. "I could see it all over your face. You were so tense. Did you really think I was going to keep your friend's item forever?"
His eyes widened, and he quickly shook his head. "No, no, I wasn't worried about that! I trust you!"
"Sure didn't look like it," she said, resting her hands on her hips. Her suspicious tone only lasted a moment before her cheerful smile returned. "Just kidding."
He sighed, half amused after realizing what she was trying to do. "You and Nanoha are the worst."
"Thank you for the compliment," she replied with mock pride. "Still, I did you quite a favor today. Shouldn't I expect something in return? If it's good enough, I'll be sure to turn a blind eye next time you two decide to go all lovey dovey." Her voice carried a teasing lilt, but her eyes sparkled with genuine playfulness.
He hummed thoughtfully, realizing that she had a point. He owed her far more than a simple thank-you. "Hmm… I suppose I should repay you somehow."
"You don't have to think that hard," she said with a small wave of her hand. "Making me a meal and inviting me for dinner would be fine."
"No, that's too simple. You've done far too much for me for that," he replied immediately, his tone serious. Hayate gave a small groan, pressing her palm to her forehead and muttering something under her breath that he couldn't quite catch.
Meanwhile, Shirou stood there, clearly troubled. He wanted to offer something meaningful, but his mind was blank. He was still unfamiliar with the city, and compared to her position as a commander, there wasn't much he could offer that she didn't already have access to.
"You really don't have to overthink it," Hayate said again, her tone softening… almost sounding like a plea. "Really, a diner would suffice… There is this really good restaurant that I got use reserve tw—"
"—I do also have another idea, maybe I could help you with paperwork. Every time Fate or Nanoha talks about you, they mention how you spend entire days in your office sorting through reports."
"Urgh!" she suddenly groaned, clutching her stomach dramatically as if something had punched her. "Those two…" Her complaint hung in the air.
"Geez! Just take her to the movies!" Surprisingly, the one who came up with the answer was none other than Zwei, who floated right above his face, looking at him while she was upside down herself. "She's been complaining nonstop lately about how she wants to watch a movie that came out lately, but is too busy with her own work to do so. But with you here, you can just force her to relax for once."
"Zwei!"
"I'm just saying~!" The little one said before flying away.
Actually, the idea was not bad. She definitely needed to relax for once, and watching a movie certainly helped. But the issue came with this possibly looking like a date, and he did not want to cause unnecessary misunderstandings between the two friends. There was nothing wrong with just accompanying Hayate for that, since he had no plans on doing anything beyond hanging around with a friend. In fact, he had done so several times with Luvia, Ayako — even that polite hooded girl with a somewhat familiar face who was like an unofficial assistant to Waver, and things turned out fine.
But still, he had an idea in mind just to avoid things being too awkward.
"Let's do that." He said those words right in the middle of Hayate, who started to mention how he did not need to feel forced to do so and to disregard Zwei's comments. Now, the woman went quiet at his quick answer. Looking at him closely as if to make sure he was not joking.
"...You're serious?"
"Of course!" He exclaimed with a wide smile. "I'd love to accompany you to the movies. So let's schedule one for tomorrow."
It was a simple hangout; he doubted anything problematic would happen to ruin the moment.
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