“So, you two have fun?” My sis asked as we opened our eyes, ba my tiny apartment. Eri was close to me, looking directly at my face, and I flushed and looked away. Behind me, Shaeu yawned, stretg.

  “Not really.” I admitted. “Looks like we ran into a few problems that cropped up while we were in Las Vegas. Luckily we got ba time though, so with some effort we fix it.”

  “Are you sure you are all right?” Eri asked. “You don’t have to keep secrets from us anymore.”

  “You worry too-too much.” Shaeu said, getting up. “As Akio says, trust us to ha. I have returo say my farewells, as I shall-shall be returning to our Territory shortly and will make sure the… obstacles… are removed. But I had little-little wish for you to return to your hometown without saying farewell.”

  My sis got up and hugged Shaeu, who squirmed in her grasp, trying to escape. “Wow, that’s so cute of you! We’ll miss you, but it won’t be for long, right? Eri’s birthday is in three weeks, you’ll be visiting then for sure, won't you?”

  Shaeu finally slipped free, huffing. “Of course, should the situatio. Eri is my dear-dear friend and rival, I would of course-course celebrate the day of her birth, si seems-seems important to you mortals. But first, for now… I shall instruct you both in your training regimens while-while I am absent. I expect progress to be made-made!” she said firmly, crossing her arms.

  “Wow, the sudden shift from adorable to stern leaves me a little weak… I get the urge to call you onee-sama for some reason. I did always want an older sister…”

  Laughing at my sis, who’s brain had short-circuited, we started to watch Eri gather aether. I could feel a tiny tugging on my work and the surroundiher, but it was still painfully weak, her botched-together Chakras funing, if barely. Beside me, Shaeu eering deep into her, eyes aglow with mystical amber radiance.

  “I see-see. Yes, the problem is simple.” Shaeu sighed. “It is a shame that we ot-not take Eri to our Territory, it is far easier to draw iher there, and progress would be rapid… still, it is currently far-far too unwise for that…”

  “Hey, we agreed I didn’t want to be the only o behind!” my sister protested.

  “Fear not-not Aiko, I shall advise you in turn.” Shaeu gri her disfort, but refrained from teasing her about a possible method for ourning back to the expet Eri she reached out, and for a moment everyone wasn’t sure of what she was doing. Her small hands worked quickly, and with a tug she pulled open the front of Eri’s pyjamas, revealing her upper body.

  Well, she doesn’t sleep with a bra on I see. I knew I should be looking away, but… It's not like I haven't already seen them and more.

  Eri let out a gentle squeal, flushing all the way down to her chest, which was an iing view. Beside her my sis protested. “Hey, what are you doing Shaeu? Lewd!”

  “It is only us girls and Akio here. He has seen far-far more of Eri than this, am I not-not mistaken? Now Eri, watch closely.” She poked one finger into her reddened lower body, just above the waistband of her pyjamas. It then slid down, intgings. Eri shivered at her touch.

  “There. This-this is where your root Chakra is located. You o pool energy here to stabilise it. Normally it is not-not advisable to gather energy recklessly, as it overspill and damage the routes through your subtle body. But your case is special, as thanks to Akio, you have a plete work, even if it is-is fragile as gss. Try raisiher, while fog on the location I am toug.”

  All of us were red-faced and embarrassed by the intimacy of the moment, but Eri met my gaze, swallowed nervously, then shot me a smile. Closing her eyes she trated, and I could feel the pull of her Chakra, a little strohis time. Shaeu’s fihen moved up again, reappearing, to reach the sacral Chakra, just below her navel. “ you feel-feel energy trig up to here?”

  Eri nodded, still trating. Shaeu’s firaced a route across her body, finally reag her . “You are luckier than Aiko, your pathways are set-set, if feeble. As your ability to raise aether increases and your Chakras aworks absorb more-more of it tthen themselves, the brang routes will also form, and you will-will be able to master it. Remember the route I have traced and the locations of your Chakras. Spare no-no effort in improving them when you have time.”

  “I will.” Eri nodded. “Thanks again… for everything.” she said quietly, and Shaeu snorted a ugh.

  “Now, on to Aiko.” She turo her, hands reag out.

  “No way! At least look away big bro!” she protested weakly, and so, being the gentleman I was, and having no i in seeing my sister naked, I turned my back, hearing the popping of buttons and the rustling of cloth. Beside me I felt a hand clutch mine, and I looked down to see Eri had grasped me, perhaps uanding my feelings. Giving her a reassuring squeeze I tried to ighe awkward situation behihat was making me feel a little… off.

  “Hey, watch where you are toug. Wow, lewd! Now I ’t get married, will you take responsibility?” my sister was saying, half-joking.

  “Your root Chakra is starting to develop. I am most-most pleased at your progress, meagre though it is.” Shaeu answered her.

  “Hey, that’s mean! It isn’t easy, you know!” Aiko protested, unsure of whether to be bitter or happy at the slightly baded pliment..

  “I am quite-quite aware of that. Accept the praise I offer. Still, you were not-not blessed with… good fortune, such as Eri, so hard work must suffice for now. Though master has promised he believes he find a way to help you, ohat does not-not involve… intimacy.”

  With my back to them I couldn’t see, but I was sure Shaeu was grinning maliciously. “Yeah, I think we make it work.” I agreed. “But even so, effort you put in now will pay off in the end. It’s just like your archery, right?”

  “Indeed, so you o trate on gathering energy here!” Shaeu poked again, causing my sister to let out a little yelp, adorably. “Then push it up … here-here, to the sacral. Then along-along to the sor plexus. I doubt you get-get any further, but if you do, then to the heart. I would normally suggest the lunar Chakra, but… for now, we shall set-set that aside.”

  “I get it, I do.” my sis huffed. “It’s all right big bro, I’ve covered myself now, you look again.”

  I turned back to see she had pulled her top shut, doing up a few of the buttons, though her lower torso was still bare. She was idly trag the route Shaeu had showrying to trate, and I could feel a miniscule drain, though it was so small it ossible I was imagining it, merely wishing her success.

  “Wow, this is hard, tougher even than when I’m doing Kyūdō. Still, I will succeed. I’m not going to be the only o behind!”

  “With my tasks here done, I must-must return. Farewell for now, Aiko, Eri. Master, I shall-shall see you soon.” With that she shut her eyes and her body fell to the futon below, still and unmoving. I’ve never really thought about it, but is her body evehing when she’s in the Boundary?

  “That was quite the brief goodbye.” My sis observed. “But I guess we’ll see her again soon.” Turning to me she asked me what my pns for tomorrow were.

  “Well, I’ll see you two to the train station. Then I have to think about getting ready to move. If all goes well, when you visit, I’ll have a home that’s half det. I feel ashamed having you and Eri staying in my shabby bachelor-pad.”

  “Bachelor-pad? Not anymore.” Eri, still holding my hand, snuggled against me. “You are eo me now, remember!”

  “Sure, how could I fet.” I kissed her, earning groans from my sister. “Anyway, good night and I’ll see you in the m!”

  “Night big bro, night Eri!”

  “Good night Aiko, and good night… Akio, my love.”

  ***

  The bustling noise of Tokyo station was surrounding us, people passing by i crowds. As the train ulling into the ptform, I took o look at my sis and Eri, who were standio several rge, heavy suitcases and s. “Are you sure you manage all these?” I asked, ed. Yeah we went way over the top with souvenirs and presents.

  “Don’t worry.” Eri grinned. “I’m way strohan I was before, right?” She flexed oe arm jokingly.

  “Yeah I don’t think it’s that much differe. Anyway, seriously, give father a call when you are close to home a him to help carry the stuff. It’s the least he do sidering all the booze you are bringing back.”

  “Sure thing bro, will do.” The train doors opened, and I helped the girls carry on the luggage. There were still a few minutes before the traied, so we said our final goodbyes.

  “Take care of yourselves. I’m not going to be a strahings have ged now, so I’ll definitely be seeing you.”

  “You’d better. Eri will be pissed if you miss her birthday, won't you?”

  “That’s right.” Eri agreed, gazing at me coyly. “I… maybe if I practice hard enough… we … celebrate… you know.” She was tomato-red, and just so cute I had to lean in and kiss her, though since we were in public it was just a pe the lips.

  “Don’t get ahead of yourself.” I told her, patting her gently. “Your health es first.”

  “Oh God… I’d been trying to put it out of my mind but… how are we going to expin this to mom and dad?” Aiko anig. “Dad is going to hit the roof…”

  “Yeah, well… just tell him to speak to me about it. her of you are to bme for this. I’m the adult here, so I’ll take responsibility.” I advised my sis.

  “That’s not true, I wa! I am just as…” I hushed Eri with a gentle finger across her lips.

  “No, Eri.” I told her gently. “In this case it is pretty much always the man’s fault. Besides, you are still a minor, even if as you said you are more than old enough to get married with parental sent, whiowing uncle and auntie Mori that won’t be an issue…” The train only had a minute or so to go so I sped up my goodbyes. “Just tell father to call me. I’ll ha then. I o discuss some other things anyway. Still, that wait. You’ll miss the train if we don’t this up!”

  “Sure. See you ter, big bro!” My sis gave me a brief hug, and Eri followed, peg at my lips again after a tight embrace.

  “I’ll be sure to tell my parents we didn’t decide this lightly!” Eri promised. “Don’t fet, you call me any time you like, I have a det phone now. No more distang yourself from us, all right?”

  “I get it, I do! Anyway, farewell, talk to you soon!”

  With that the doors to the train slid shut, and moments ter it ulling away from the station, Eri waving at me through the window. Ign the snickers of a few uters around me, I headed for a different ptform, to take the train back to Shirohebizumi shrine.

  Deg on the jouro show I was a ged man, I actually sent Eri and Aiko some quick messages, getting rapid responses iurn. There, unication. I’ve accepted that while I still feel they her friends… only I guarahem a life without sadness in this ging world. All my reasons for staying away were now worthless, in fact, if I did, I’d actually be more likely t them grief, especially Eri…

  Lost in thought, I watched the Tokyo sery pass by, until I was at my stop. Getting out, I made the brief jouro Shirohebizumi shrine, and as it came into view I couldn’t help but think of Shaeu, alone in our Territory. No, wait, she has allies there, like the Kamaitachi, Grulgor and the Kami. She’ll be all right. When we had agreed to make sure one of us was there at pretty much all times I had made her promise that should it e down to the Territory or her life, she would always safeguard herself. I could rebuild, but repg her?

  With those final thoughts, I climbed the steps, reag the shrine proper, it being eveer kept and more maintaihahe fresh paint and repairs making it look almost… almost… respectable…