The m I was greeted by my father and Eri, who had returned from their hotel. My father was looking a little worse for robably because we did pack away quite the rge amount of booze in the izakaya, and ohe issue with money was sorted and the drink had loosened his reserve, he and uncle Mori had spent quite some time bending my ear over my future retionship with Eri.

  Yeah, I did not need uncle Mori tellihat Eri had a prescription for… traception… so we had nothing to worry about. I mean, I know he and auntie have always wanted us to get together, but even so, shouldn’t a father be less enthused about his daughter haviions… and as for my own father…

  Mom had often bragged that father had only ever had one woman, her, and my father expected the same for me. He had advised me at length that now we had entered into an adult retionship he wouldn’t tolerate us not stig it out. He said I had made my bed, and now had to lie in it. British idiom aside that he had no doubt picked up from mom, my gaze strayed to the brightly smiling Eri, who was looking adorable in a long pleated skirt in a pale grey, coupled with a white t-shirt and cardigan bination. Well, at least my bed is beautiful…

  “Good m.” I greeted them, satisfied that my Ether Healing had robbed me of any hangover, a small bit of satisfa against my father. “I thought you’d be sightseeing, since you are here another day.”

  “I io re-join my family and the Mori’s as soon as I drop off Eri here.” He stumbled over her hout an honorific a little, but he would have to get used to it. “It is hardly wise for a young girl to travel alone, even in a safe try like this.”

  I nodded in agreement, remembering the trouble Konoe-san had with those thugs. Speaking of, I haven’t heard from her in a while. No doubt Shaeu has beeihough, so o worry…

  Eri’s gaze hardened a little, as if she could read my mind, and I put such extraneous s aside. Agreeing with my father, I answered. “Yeah, good call. This area isn’t the worst part of Tokyo, not by a long shot, but there was still some trouble a few weeks ago. So, Aiko not with you?”

  Eri let out a ugh. “No, not today. She wao e and hang out, but our mothers insisted she should spend some time with the family, since she already had a trip with you st weekend. So, just us today!” Her cheeks were flushed, and I had to repress the urge to kiss her there and then. Yeah, not in front of father.

  “That makes sense. Did you want anything to eat or drink before you go, father? I whip something up.”

  He deed, still looking pale and washed out, and after a brief exge he departed, leavio follow me inside. I led her to the kit area and made her a light breakfast. “So, what do you want to do today? I have some things to take care of, which makes spending time with you a bit difficult, but since you came all this way…”

  As she ate the grilled fish and rice I had prepared for her, she praised my cooking, which felt pretty good, as it was a skill I had to pick up when I became self-suffit. After a little more thought, she shook her head. “I do want to spend time with you, but if you really ’t then I just stay here for the day. I know times are tough for yht now, I want to be your support, not a burden.” She finished up, thanked me for the meal and then looked around. “So, where’s Shaeu? Is she still not back yet?”

  “I’m afraid not. I was just going to do some quick exercise to hone my body and skills, and theurn to the Boundary to reinforce her. We doly have a wealth of trustworthy persoo rely on.”

  “That sounds iing. I’ve been doing my own training, just like Shaeu showed me, but maybe watg yours would help me too?”

  Well, I don’t have a problem with that. “Sure, why not. I do a little bit of Chakra work while I train, so if you pay attention you might learn something.” One good thing about my new home was it was way less cramped, so I could practise with my training spear a lot more freely, as well as some of the martial arts that required more space.

  For the hour I ran through the forms I was training, my motions smooth blurs that exceeded human limits, all the while tinuing to circute aether around my Chakra work. I was also using a little of the energy to amplify my muscle movements, a very crude first step to some sort of body strengthening art. Though pushing it toht prove an issue, so…

  Eri watched me, rapt and hungry, as I sweated and strained. When I was finally finished she gave me a round of gentle appuse, then brought over a towel and wiped the sweat from my brow and upper torso. “That was so impressive!” she gushed. “You’re like one of those aovie stars, so fast and strong.” She then looked up at me, her gaze impish. “If you want to take a bath before you go, I wash your back for you? I wash… other pces too…” Her voice quieteowards the end, but her eyes were clear aermined.

  Before I could respond, and I was very tempted, despite the fact it was too risky to fool around, soft footsteps could be heard from the other room. The door then sprung open, revealing Shaeu, still in her sleep yukata, her hair dishevelled. “Ahh, Eri. I thought you might-might be here.” she said nguidly, stifling a yawn. “Akio did-did say you were visiting this weekend.”

  She’s back? What about the Territory? Still, she wouldn’t leave it unguarded recklessly…

  “Oh do not-not worry.” She waved away my s with one slender hand, as if reading my thoughts. Is that something all girls do, as it seems to be happening to me a lot tely?

  “We have repelled another major assault, this time one from two-two sides at once. Our enemy grows more ing. But they shall not-not be able to marshal further forces for a while, so I felt the o e see Eri and Aiko. Is she not-not here?”

  “No, she’s with our family. They wao spend time with her.” Eri said, before rushing over to Shaeu. “I heard you were injured, are you all right? Akio should have doer keeping you safe, I’m going to scold him ter. How is y now?” She bent down and lifted the hem of Shaeu's yukata, iing for wounds, but after my efforts it was smooth pale flesh, healed and unbroken.

  Shaeu pulled her leg aside, though gently, and reached down to pat her head as she k. “I am fine, I am very-very strong, as you know.” She puffed out her chest pridefully. “Besides, Akio tried his best. In battle there is always danger. Still, he did-did repay me by helping to heal my injury, for he would not-not wish to have my beautiful flesh marred by unsightly scars.” As she finished Shaeu suddenly realised what she had said, but surprisingly Eri didn’t react to the implications, only nodding.

  “Well, even so, I want you to look after her more, Akio. I don’t want my friends to get hurt, it makes me sad.”

  Friends, huh? They do seem to be getting oer since we made it back from Las Vegas. That’s good, I don’t want to see them fighting.

  Shaeu smiled brightly at bring called a friend, before turning bae. “So as I did-did say, the situation is in hand. The salt wards protect the shrine from their ghosts, and my Kamaitachi are dug the defence. I felt the need-need for you to spoil me for a bit, master. It has been hard-hard, being away from mortal forts so long. I demand food and drink!”

  Damn, I ’t say no to that. It’s been necessary, but I’ve definitely left her to shoulder most of the burden in the Boundary. “Fine. You’ve missed breakfast, but I whip you something up. There’s beer and spirits in the fridge.”

  “I’ll help!” Eri said, and with that we started preparations…

  ***

  Shaeu y ba the fortable sofa, satisfied, pattiomach. “That is much-much better. Our Territory cks any amenities. It is something you should look at, master.”

  “Is it really that bad?” Eri asked, curious. “All I know is the desert in Las Vegas. I’d love to see your Territory, you did say you wao show me. Besides…” She ched her fists, resolved. “You also said it was far easier tthen my Chakra work in the Boundary. I’ve been training so hard, desperate to reach the stage where I finally…” She shot me a look, flushed red even along her bare forearms.

  “I see, I do.” Shaeu looked at her, eyes gleaming amber. “Of course-course that would motivate you, you seemed to enjoy the embrace of Akio before-before.” She grinned impishly. “You have indeed-indeed been training hard, I see your efforts. Master, perhaps…”

  No way, absolutely not. “In normal times, I’d be happy to show you my Territory.” I said as solingly as I could. “But right now we are in a war with a powerful foe. I don’t want to put you in harm’s way, I couldn’t live with myself if you got hurt, and…”

  Eri pushed a finger against my lips to silence me, her onyx eyes bzing with a differeion to before. She seems… mad?

  “But you five yourself if Shaeu is injured? I’m disappointed in you Akio. And that hurts me…” she said sadly.

  “Uhh, no, that isn’t what I mean, it’s just Shaeu has reason to fight, and is a…”

  “You think I don’t have a reason to fight? I’ll be your wife, standing by your side, supp you. Besides, if I don’t fix my body, then we ’t… ugh…”

  “I think you should-should listen to her.” Shaeu supported her, chiming in when Eri was struggling to express herself fully, frustrated. “Her resolve is praiseworthy, and strong and deep as the mists-mists of the Fae realm. She has trained hard, harder than I believed she would have-have the strength for.”

  Eri seemed surprised Shaeu was supp her, but it gave her the strength to find her words. “Shaeu said that they couldn’t attack again any time soon, and that there were salt wards around the shrihat’s here, right? So isn’t it safe for me to enter? If Shaeu helps charge me up like before, I do it.” She grasped my hands, and glimmering tears formed at the er of her dark eyes as she stared deeply into my grey orbs. “I know you love me and want to protect me, and I love that about you too. I do. But I also want to do things for you, and for myself. If the situation was truly too unwise, I’d listen to you, do what you want. But Shaeu doesn’t think so, so please. I have things I want to do as well, ’t you support me? Won’t you treat me as an equal? If you won’t, who will?”

  Ugh, a critical hit to my heart. Seeing her like that, she’s fragile, yet strong. Was she always like this and I never realised? Pulling our csped hands to my lips I kissed her. “You win.” I ceded. “But…” I looked at them both sternly. “…ohing I won’t promise on is safety. Eri, you don’t know how to return to the Material manually, so Shaeu, you’ll have to teach her that as soon as we arrive. And if either of us tells you to return, you do it, no matter what, uand?” At my iy, Eri nodded.

  “Good. In that case…” I turned my gaze back to Shaeu, who grinned, waving casually.

  “Leave it to-to me, Akio. Eri shall be as safe as a child in her mother’s arms-arms.”

  ***

  “This… this is amazing.” Eri looked around Shirohebizumi shrine wide-eyed. Catg sight of one of the Kamaitachi that had e to greet us, she goggled, her expression one of wonder. “So, do you look like that Shaeu? In your real body, I mean?”

  “Rude.” Shaeu shough she was not really offended. “This body is as real-real as any other. Besides, Akio likes it. Though he finds my other form adorable as well-well.”

  The Kamaitachi scratched its head in puzzlement. “Princess, who is this newer? She is a mortal, is she not-not? You seem… close?”

  “Of course we are close, this is Eri, a woman of my master.” She puffed out her chest in pride, which puzzled me a little. “She is w hard-hard to join us in ht, and I insist you treat her with utmost courtesy.”

  The Kamaitachi looked at Shaeu, then at Eri, then back to Shaeu. A long sigh whistled between its teeth. “I see-see. Greetings then. Should you require any assistance, feel free-free to ask.” As it turned away I heard it mutter us breath. “Poor princess, fallen behind again. How sad-sad.”

  Eri, fresh from her shock at meeting weaselkin and Kamaitachi, was also surprised to see the white snakes slithering around. Still, she listened ily to Shaeu’s lecture on a way to expel aether quickly, which would boot her back to the Material near-instantly. Ohat was done, Shaeu began to instruct her on how to draw iher more effectively.

  “Yeah, it really is easier here!” Eri procimed, pleased. She tio work, eyes narrowed in tration, before they opened wide, and another shocked excmatio her, aping my sis and her usual expression. “Wow, that s’s magnifit. Is that… is that really a Kami?”

  Shaeu told her that it was ihe Kami of this shrine, and as Eri looked on impressed they even struck up a versation with it, something Eri never could have dreamed ossible a few st weeks ago. I watched them fondly, the se warming my heart, but a niggling feeling rig at me, a feeling that something we had done had nudged a closer to fruition, some future danger creeping up on us, now more certain… Ugh, it feels unpleasant. I think I’ve felt this retly, but when? There’s been too much going on, I ’t remember…

  We passed several joyous hours helpithen herself, Shaeu using her vision to correy issues, and while this was happening we received occasional reports from our weaselkin scouts. The enemy ghost women were still prowling our Territory, and some Orcs were digging in, preparing for a future push, but the powerful wraith that used metal spikes was o be seen, and the beetles were still held back.

  Eri should easily be able to escape to the Material before the defences around the shrine are breached. Maybe I was being too cautious. Seeing hoy Eri and Shaeu looked, I felt a little guilty for my overprotective streak. It was something I had always felt, ever since we were young, and it had caused enough problems. Yeah, all Eri has to worry about is how jealous Aiko will be when she hears about this. No, wait, surely that’s my problem too, as she’ll bme me!

  Chug to myself I tried to shake the bad feeling that was lingering at the bay mind. Feeling my gaze on them Shaeu turo me, patting Eri on the shoulder. “Master, she has made quite-quite the progress. She has talent, I believe. Why not-not show him?”

  Eri nodded eagerly. Raising one hand she trated, her eyes squinting, face twisted into a cute expression of utmost effort. “Nearly… I do this…” she enced herself, straining. “Just a… little more… there!” A faint ball of light leapt from her hand, hanging in the air like a twinkling star for a few seds, before vanishing. She slumped down with the effort, but her smile was radiant.

  “Well done indeed-indeed.” Shaeu praised. “You mao utilise aether, even if it was but a feeble speck.”

  “Phrasing.” I chided Shaeu gently, befoing over and giving Eri a hug. “If yoing to praise her, do it properly. I thought you’d grown out of being tsundere.”

  Shaeu reised the term from anime and protested, while Eri giggled in my embrace. She reached up and kissed me, this time aggressively, the feeling of success making her bold. As she withdrew, saliva dripping from her lips, she looked at Shaeu, a plicated gleam in her eyes. “I know, it was weak. pared to you or Akio… I’m still pathetic. But I won’t be beaten, I won’t stop, until I’m strong. But thank you. I feel warmth within me, and it hurts less. If you tio guide me, then…” she blushed. “… then Akio and I be together. So thank you, Shaeu. I mean it, I do.”

  Shaeu turned away, flushing and embarrassed herself. “Bah, think nothing of it. I promised you, did I not-not, during our talk? Together, the world will be far-far more fun.”

  Good ses, and very cute as always. But now, I’m really curious as to what they talked about, the atmosphere has ged. Before I could ask, a Troll, armed and torn, came pounding up to the shrine, frantic.

  “What is that?” Eri choked out, stunned by the massive brute as it barreled towards us. She burrowed into my grip, scared, but I merely murmured that it was one of ours and nothing to be scared of.

  “Just what-what is the meaning of interrupting our teime-time, brute?” Shaeu growled, her dislike of the Trolls making her harsher than usual. “Akio, Eri and I were sharing a moment.”

  “No time for whining.” The Troll grated, acidic saliva spttering the ground. “Huge army, many enemies e. From the south.”

  “The south? Did that ghostly coward outmanoeuvre us-us?” Shaeu grimaced. “I was sure they had suffered too many losses in our st battles to be ready so soon-soon.” Her angry gaze at the Troll softened a little. “You have done good work for once. Find Grulgor and bring him, we will need-need his strength.”

  Eri was in my arms, looking scared, so I reassured her as best I could. “It’ll be all right. But you’d better get ready to return. Luckily you don’t have much aether left, so…”

  “Grul will e. Grul loves crushing weak weasels. We shall break them ahem!” the Troll agreed, gurgling happily.

  Wait, what? Weasels? The hell?

  Shaeu had picked up on it as well. “Weasels? Are your brains rocks, fool-fool? You o kill the Orot-not us!”

  The Troll uzzled, his small braiaxed. “But foes e, big army, many weasels. Soon be here. We must crush them.”

  “We o check it out.” I said quickly. “The Troll might be fused, or…”

  “Do you hear that?” Eri piped up, straining to hear. “I hear… music?”

  “I hear it too-too.” Shaeu agreed, nodding. “It seems rather… familiar. And it es closer. We have no-no barrier to stop intruders…”

  The sound of drums, flutes, harps, horns and other sustruments was growing ever louder, pying a mencholy tuhat was ethereal, uhly. It was apanied by the sound of ma striking the ground, a host vaster than the Orc attacks we had suffered previously.

  “Will you be able to fight them?” Eri asked, shaking with fear. I squeezed her reassuringly and put on my bravest grin. Beside us Shaeu also struck a noble pose, looking heroid battle-ready.

  “Have no-no fear, we shall defend our Territory until the st.” She said proudly. “My master and I have ied too much to let aake-take it from us.”

  “Well said. Although…” I looked at my fiarying to be the epitome of calm. “… we won’t die for it. if the odds are impossible, we’ll run away and start again. It’ll hurt, but…”

  “…but you’ll have me and Aiko to help you.” Eri finished, nodding. “Just promise me, no foolish heroics, okay? This isn’t like that time with the dog…”

  “This moment is toug indeed, and I feel the love-love you have for each other, but they are here.” Shaeu smirked. “Now let us see-see our foe…”

  A great force had peed our nds, heading for the tre. Several dozen musis were pying instruments as they marched at the front, followed by scores of archers, spearmen, armoured warriors, what looked like mages, carrying staves and wearing robes, and other stranger forces. At the tre anquin being carried on the shoulders of burly guards. Seated there were two figures, one bck-furred and green eyed, a great bow slung over one shoulder, the other white-furred and blue eyed, carrying an oraff topped with glittering jewels.

  What in the world? Before any of us could speak, the bck-furred oured, and several musis blew their horns, raising a deafening racket. He then called out, his voice loud across our Territory. “Little sister, little sister, where are you? Why will you not e to greet-greet your brother? I have e to see you, I was worried about you! Little sister, answer me! Do not keep-keep your brother waiting!”

  Spoiler

  [colpse]Shaeu froze. “Brother Shaeraggo?” she called out uainly, her face cramping.

  Well, this was ued…

  ShipTeaser