ShipTeaser

  “Yes, I see no further issues. Your recovery is sound.” Bintara said to Shiro, as she released a probe of aether through her body, making her shiver. Finally. I made good on my promise, and the mistakes we made have been washed away. “Though I have s over that parasite within you, it is beyond my responsibility.”

  At her harsh words to Tan, Shiro’s eyes fshed red for a moment. Biting her lip, eyes dispying her emotions, Shiro asked us again.

  “Really? It’s really all healed?”

  I nodded. “Yeah. Thanks to your buffs and help from Bintara here, which I very much appreciate…” I bowed to the Bitan gratefully, thankful to the strange Yokai that was dispatched here by Nurarihyon, and even though our is cided, it wouldn’t make me any less grateful. “… and I’ll be sure to repay the favour for.”

  “As will I.” Shiro promised, rubbing at her damp bck eyes. “If I have to fight the golden-eyed devourer, I will. After all…” she met my gaze steadfastly, despite her fears being pin on her face. “… I’ve already cshed with it. It’ll be it or us anyway. And we’ll do it together. I know you’ll never let a monster like that run free, Aki.”

  “Yes, so pass on my thanks to Nurarihyon.” I tinued. “As for you, Shiro… yeah, I might o give your Material body a quice-over with Ether Healing just to fully restore the skin and make sure there’s no underlying internal damage, but… you’re done. Cured.”

  Her arms went around me, pullio a fierce hug. That left all sorts of iing things pressing against me, sidering how stily cd she was, and as she went to thank me again, she noticed, her face reddening, but her smile turning wicked, back to the normal Shiro. “Oh, this getting you all hot and bothered, Aki? Well I’m gd. After all, you just got an eyeful of me. I’m pretty pissed off, I was hoping to save the full frontal until… well, the weekend, right?”

  “It couldn’t be helped.” I sighed. “Instead, you should be thanking me for keeping a cool head when the junior I’ve always secretly longed for was naked in front of me.”

  “Hmph.” She snorted sourly, releasing her hug, adjusting the undergarments she wore. “That excuse sounds sood, but I’m not buying it. When did you get so silver-tongued, Aki? Well, no matter. I guess a bit of shame is a small price to pay for making sure I’m bay flory. It… it definitely won’t make you any less excited for the real thing, will it?” she said, suddenly vulnerable, her emotions high as the damage that had pgued her was finally fixed.

  “Of course not. I’m serious. Yes, you’re dangerously beautiful, and it was hard to ighat, but I did ig. All I wanted was for you to be healed. I’ll save gettied for Saturday.” I winked. “I have it all pnned out.”

  “Oh you do, do you? Well, assuming Arisu doesn’t try and murder you, I’ll look forward to it. Damn, you are silver-tongued. I don’t know quite how to feel with you elling those Hayato vibes.”

  “I am not here to listen to your mortal pleasantries.” Bintara sniffed, and we hastily apologised. “Very well.” She tinued. “My task is plete. I am eager to return to the Hyakki Yagyō. Though we shall likely meet again, oed battlefield that has been prophesised.”

  “Well, thanks again for everything.” I reiterated, looking at her head, with one horn a mere stub, only now starting trow. “It wasn’t just Shiro you helped. I owe you, so if you are ever in trouble, get a message to me, all right? besides… Shaeu is one of the Parade too, so we should help each other when we .”

  “Yeah, sorry, my sudden feelings of normie-ness got away from me for a mihere.” Shiro ughed. “Me too. If you need help, I’ll give it. Just… try not to provoke Tan too much, okay?”

  Bintara let out a long snort at that. “Such a parasite deserves no respect from me. It is creatures like her and the golden-eyed devourer that do not know their pce, intruding where they do not belong, which are upsetting the harmony of our world. But my words matter little. There is no separating you now without great effort and risk I am unwilling to bear.”

  Putting that aside, I asked how she would return to the Parade, si had roamed away from Kyoto. She hesitated, before answering. “I have means of calling the Parade. All of us who rank highly do. So fear not, I shall return safely.”

  “Great, well, if you disappear before we get to see you again, this is farewell.” I extended a hand, and after a moment, she took it.

  “Iime marches on, and as the slowing ebbs, danger will e ever closer. Prepare yourselves.” With that she left the room we were occupying. As Shiro pulled on her discarded armour, I grinned, watg her turn red.

  “Shit, I know you’ve already seehing you , but at least look away when I’m ging, Aki.”

  “Why?” I asked, teasingly, and she started to expin, before realising I was joking with her. She pouted, finally fully clothed once more.

  “Jerk. Switg between Hayato mode and Yasu mode makes it really hard for me to stay calm.” With that, she spped her cheeks to shake off her embarrassment. “Oh fuck.” She suddenly said, and for a moment I panicked.

  “What’s wrong?” My Eye fred as I sed her, not believing Bintara would have been wrong about her healing being successful, but…

  “Calm down. Though it’s cute to see you worry for me.” Shiro ughed, having got her revenge on me for my teasing. “it’s just that if I’m all better, then I should probably go back to Uy, right?”

  “Yeah, that’s true.” I said, relieved. Though to be ho, I’ve got used to having Shiro around. It hasn’t been long, but it’s been fun.

  “Aww, is Aki all sad that I won’t be hanging around you day and night anymore? Well, don’t be. I’m not going back just yet. I have a leave of absence for the rest of the year. I might as well take advantage. Yeah, thought so.” She reached out, poking my cheek. “You’re such a boy at times, Aki. But I don’t hate it. Seeing that smile makes me happy.” She hugged me again, this time without the desperate emotion of the past ones. “I really should go thank the girls at my dorm though. Sihey were worried for me…”

  Yeah, Shiro’s matured as well. It’s good to see her thinking of other people. Living here at the shrih Eri, Shaeu and the rest has been good for her. “I’ll e too, if you don’t mind?”

  “Well, you did tell them we’d eloped, so if you don’t, they’ll think I dumped you.” As we bantered bad forth, I sidered my pns for the day. I had received a strange visit from Treyvon this m, who had told me that Ixitt had ied a tree, or something along those lines. He seemed apologetic that he didn’t uand, but on cheg my Territory, I could see a new building, ohat was quite surprising. It’s just a shame that my Eye isn’t higher Ranked, as there’s still too many question marks, and indeed questions, to answer.

  Materia Tree Rank 1 Uhis tree has agglomerated from a mixture of Territorial Silver, Territorial Crystal, and small amounts of other simir materials, Territorial Gold, Territorial Mica, and others. Due to a strange ??????????? and the addition of scattered Etherite powder and stray ????????? as well as the remnants of a failed ??????????, ether of signifit quality is being drawn from the surrounding Boundary and lower Astral, and verted into ????????????.

  Ether density and quality around the Materia Tree will naturally increase from the overspill, and as it grows it drops fruits taining ???????????. The Tree will naturally regee takeorial Materials if supplied with ether, and be grown by further ????????? aherites.

  I haven’t had su obscured reading of something in quite a while. Just how the hell did Ixitt create this? Well, I’m gd it’s not in Kyoto… We were trying to lower the density there. Fortunately, Tokyo was greatly inferior in that regard, despite all my efforts so far, so there were uo be problems for the foreseeable future.

  Upoing the building, we proceeded over to the area where the Materia Tree was located, in the area occupied by Ixitt and Bjarki’s workshops. As roached I could feel the noticeably higher density of ether around us, aing my Eye shimmer, the amount of reddish colouration I could see iher around us was lower than normal, a faint ish hue leaking in. There were a number of Fae clustered around the site, many ratkin and weaselkin Mortal Engineers excitedly chattering away, taking measurements and using various strangely shaped instruments to probe the tree. On seeing our approach, Ixitt came trotting out of the crowd, smiling happily.

  “Akio.” He decred. “Have you e to see the tree?”

  I agreed. “Yeah. I don’t quite get what happened, but it seems beneficial, at least for now.”

  The crowd parted, and now we could see the small silver tree, which was also sparkling, tiny shards of crystal withial shining in the light from the skies above. “Hey, that looks a bit like your Anchor, Aki.” Shiro observed, and she was right.

  “It does.” I agreed. “But I don’t feel like it’s doing anything Anchor-like. Ixitt, how did this e about?” I asked.

  “It is really quite simple. You know I have been experimenting with material from the strange Buildings in your Territory and others. I alsht back materials from the Territory trolled by your vassals, even that girl Miyu. Did you know…” he said spiratorially. “… as a Chosen Hero, I freely enter your vassal Territories? There is also now material from Kyoto. Well, using all of these, we have made many discoveries, though there is still so much we do not uand. But much material was gathered here and used to make Artificial Ether Spires, and more retly, Artificial Silos. Not every effort succeeded, and much waste and half-pleted prototypes, failed devices and scatterings of excess Etherite dust was discarded here. Imagine my surprise when it all subsumed into this tree.”

  “Yes, that does seem surprising.” Shiro agreed.

  “So, the tree, it provides material?” I asked, and Ixitt nodded.

  “Watch.” He carefully removed some of the small branches, which quickly broke down into the silver material, as well as a little with a golden hue, and some sparkling gems like tiny diamonds or ks of polished gss. I then noticed it drawing in the surroundiher, and the trunk budded, and slowly they expanded, growing out into fresh branches. “Fasating, is it not? It is a ready souraterial, and I assume this is just the beginning!”

  As he fawned over it, the door to Master Bjarki’s workshop opened, and a rush of intense heat washed out, hot and dry, yet full of static. Fur on the makiood on end, as did Shiro’s long silver locks, which began to rise as though attracted to a mag. She made an indelicate nose and began bing it with her hands, while I ignored my own frizzy state. Bjarki staggered out, his face pale, eyes shadowed, but on seeing Shiro he brightened.

  “Great, if’n it be the ss with’n the gift. I again, if’n ye please. I be close tae a breakthrough, ye ken?”

  “Yes, yes. It so happens I’m in an excellent mood today, so here. Same as usual?” she asked, and the dwarf nodded firmly.

  “Aye. It’n be driviae new heights, I feel another breakthrough nearing. This’n will be my life’s work, I know it!”

  “He has been w non-stop for days, ever since he first received these blessings.” As Ixitt watched, amused, as energy flooded into Bjarki, who then bowed in thanks before hurrying baside, door smming, he asked for his own buffs. As he did so, I had an idea.

  “Shiro, you buff Buildings?”

  She paused, mouth open, befrinning. “I have no idea, Aki. But that’s some excellent out-of-the-box thinking. We give it a go…”

  “Now this I simply must see.” Ixitt decred, after receiving his blessing from Anesidora.

  “Well, we might as well start with aher Spire, as the ge should be measurable.” I said, and we hurried towards the one, expressions eager…

  ********

  “I’m done Aki, no more!” Shiro pleaded, leaning against me as we sat on a sto I had lifted free with a little earth element. “I’m not strong enough for all these buffs, I’m oom. Out of damn mana!”

  “Shouldn’t that be oodm then?” I ughed. “No, really it’d be ooda, out of damher.” I stroked her head gently, kissing her cheek, delighted to see her flush a little. “I mean, I top you up again if you want? Though it isn’t that effective…”

  “Yeah, I mean, we mao squeeze a couple more out of me, but you wasted a ton of your strength. I think that the aether used to activate my ability is mixed in with adherence, if I had to guess, or at least something simir. So you t just top me up and expect good results, unlike if I was using a skill. I’d be curious to see if Haru or Kana have the same issues.”

  “It seemed to work for the ese Chosen, but then, the aether that damn blob was giving off was rather filthy. There could have been anything mixed in.” I mused. “Yeah, we’ll run more experiments, but… well, we learned a lot.”

  “Did we? It didn’t work no matter how many times I tried it.” She pouted.

  “Didn’t it? Sure, nothing ged, and my dreams are dashed of having you push up the abilities of my Ether Spires a Rank, giving us stupendously boosted ether colle. But I think there’s potential, and even if not, we’ve learned a fair bit about how Divine Favours work or don’t work.”

  “Yeah, that’s a shame, it’d have beeo… wait a minute.” Shiro’s pretty, dark eyes narrowed as she gazed at me, a frown on her face repg her pout. “If I could do that, wouldn’t you have me out here buffing your Spires every time the buffs wore off? I’d be just like Miyu, who you make dail she danore! And what about my… well, Tan’s Territory anyway?”

  “Well, I wouldn’t… no, to be ho, we both know I damn well would have you buffing away.” I winked. “But I’d definitely make it up to you, I promise. But most of my wives want to be w girls…”

  “Phrasing, Aki. This isn’t one of those porn doujins you like.” She snickered.

  “Nah, I’ll leave those types to Yasu-san. As for Tan’s Territory, aually yours, of course we’ll keep an eye on them. When I reach Rank 4, I’ll be able to surround and protect them. I’m sure Tan pnned for her to reach that milestone first, but… I don’t see it happening.”

  “Yeah. Arisu is doing a god job guarding it, despite her own troubles, but… well, you have a lead and a lot of allies, while we’ve been stuck here with you.”

  “That wounds my heart!” I mock-cried, and she forestalled me with a cheeky kiss.

  “You know what I mean. Anyway, we learhat it seems I only affect people with Anesidora’s blessings.”

  “Well, if we put together what we know. It seems that Divine Favours are quite specifi what they do, rather unlike skills which seem far more flexible, even if they have specific traits too.” It’d certainly help if I had use of Tyr’s Favour, as I’d be able to directly pare, it doesn’t seem like the Fruit of the World Tree I have follows the same rules. I do know a bit from the Favour Tsukiko-san passed to me though… My gaze went to the cirg spirit lights being fed by Shaeu and I, stantly drawing on our aether. Some more weaselkin were shining brightly, soon to be reborn, and the glow of Ginneka’s was starting to slowly brighten as well. Tsukiko-san’s was still small and weak, but it would grow, I wouldn’t accept anything else.

  “The Favours strengthen abilities that match. Kana’s weak earth element abilities grew noticeably stronger when she received Ksitigarbha’s Earthen Womb. Likewise, when I gaihe Future Reflected By The Moon, my light and darkness elements mutated. I don’t know for sure, but Haru-san’s affinity to light seems to be a sequence of her Favour from Kannon.” My sis too. Her reted skills grew strooo.

  “I see. So they do have an effect other than their primary fun, even if taial.” Shiro posited. “That means… well, not a lot.” She shrugged, a wry grin crossing her features.

  “You know, I think we know who to ask. Tan, are you there?”

  Shiro’s eyes turned crimson, and her mouth opened zily. “I am still digesting the remains of my meal. I will be sleepy for several days yet. But I was listening. I believe I firmed there are many matters I ot speak of, due to the agreements our pantheons all are bound by.”

  “Yes, and we had this versation before, didn’t we? You already broke them by taking advantage of Shiro. And you’ve told us a little before. I’m not asking you to spill as, merely… drop a hint to the veracity of our specutions. That shouldn’t be a stretch, right?”

  “I’d ask that too, Tan. We’re not asking for the answer, only… well, a pointer or two.” Shiro said, and Tan exhaled, a long sigh, full of annoyance.

  “Fine. You are rather demanding. Your taste in men is questionable, princess. But you are in essence correct, though like all that one know, you but scratch the surface, though deeply enough to impress me at least a little. Yes, Divine Favours are indeed crystalised adherend also something I will not speak of. And that adherence is dyed to the task at hand. Making it a ways it is not intended is… challenging. It also dyes the aether within you, bending it to suitable aspects. Thus merely p in more aether will result in colossal waste, as the aether is not suitable to the task at hand.”

  “I get it.” Aether achieve lots of tasks that seem impossible, so activating a Divine Favour should be no different, but as I’ve found out over time, the more rules, no, Laws, I suppose I should say… that a task breaks, the less it s to reality around us, the more aether is used, and the less we uand something, again, the more it uses. Hehe waste… I expihat, and Tan nodded in satisfa.

  “You have found your answer without my urgings. I have broken no pacts. The gift of Anesidora is for the living. Else you could strengthen anything. It would be foolish to spend the power that would require tthen a mortal, even to ce winning a world, and expeg most of that power to return. After all, we have seen much power devoured.” She licked Shiro’s lips. “And not merely by me. No… Favours are the least effort beings such as my Father believe they spend for maximum ce of reward. There are many worlds, it would do us little good to spread ourselves too thin, weaken ourselves and suffer losses, for a mere ce of gain. Hence why I believed the princess was a ce worth the risk for me. Now, I am tired. Her Many Gifts and Blessing are for the living, not the inanimate, or trees of metal and gss.” With that Shiro yawned, her eyes turning dark again, before she met my grey eyes with her bes, smiling.

  “For the living huh, Aki? Not for trees of metal and gss? Are you thinking what I’m thinking? How did we not see it before?”

  “Well, we missed the forest for the trees.” I smirked. “Well, it’ll take you time to recover your aether, so want to grab a drink first?” Thanks Tan. Though I’ll be ho, I’d grasped it when you repeated that the gifts were for the living.

  “Sure. I’m excited Aki, but… you’re not going to ensve me and make me your buff mae, are you?”

  “Nope.” I swept her up into a princess-carry, Shiro squealing with embarrassment, fists striking my shoulders softly.

  “What the hell are you doing, Aki? This is embarrassing!”

  “I’m still celebrating your full recovery. So let me treat you as a princess, Shirohime. For today at least. Oh, and Saturday!”

  “Just had to throw that in, huh? Eri was right to warn me about you. Lecher.” She muttered, embarrassed. “But… it doesn’t feel so bad…”

  ********

  “So, you ready?” I asked her, and Shiro nodded. “Yeah, I’ve enough for a few blessings. Shame it wasted a good k of your day.”

  “I sent Azuki to say I’ll be te. I’m meeting a prisoner, it’s not like she’s going anywhere.” Well, the Detective and Officer Usui might be a little annoyed, but they’ll uand. “If this works, it’ll make a huge differeo our potential. So… ready?”

  “As I’ll ever be. So, Asha, this is fine, right?” she asked the Dryad, who was smiling softly, ever since we had expined what we wanted.

  “If you are not hurting my Tree, but instead blessing it for healthy grootency, how could I be disappointed? My Tree does love it here. The earth element is still a bit weak, but it is growing. In time… no, well, eak of that ter. Please proceed, I await the results expetly, Shiro.”

  “All right then. Damn, now I’m getting nervous, having you both so focussed on me. Well, here goes nothing. Anesidora’s Blessing of Many Gifts.” She allowed her aether to flow into the Rhyming Tree, which was clearly alive. I don’t know whether it has skills to be enhanced or not, but it’s definitely living, and it’s a Fae Tree, if any pnt would have skills, this would…

  “Oh I feel my Tree. It shudders in joy.” Asha squirmed, her slightly jade-tinted skin now a reddish tohe Tree waved its branches, as if there was a gentle breeze. “And the earth sings.” Keeping my eye oerritory details, trag my ether geion, which was by no means a sce, as we had random amounts ing in from the efforts of all my forces, but I had mapped an average trend while I was drinking with Shiro, I waited. But not for long.

  Shit. It… it worked? I stared at the amber numbers scrolling through my vision.

  “So, uh… success?” Shiro asked, and I pulled her into an.

  “Yeah. It’s pretty good. It hasn’t goo Rank 6, well, there was no way it’d be that easy, but the gain is signifit. If only there was a way that we could knoe could use the Blessing From The Box.”

  “If you tell me what you wish for, I assist. After all, without your aid, my Tree and I would be dead, and all memory of my fallen sisters lost for all time. I shall do anything you ask.” Asha promised, her expression kind. Shiro paused, eyeing her for a sed, before shaking her head.

  “Nah, I’m sure it’s nothing. Well, question then, if you don’t mind.” Whe a tinued smile in response, she inquired further. “If I had to bless something to boost the way your Tree pulls iher from the surrounding atmosphere, what would it be?”

  My Eye is struggling to see anything, as I don’t know what I’m looking for, but if I had a hint, I think we could do it…

  “I see. Well, this is a Tree born of Earth, so I would expect that it is the gathering of earth and sky. All Rhyming Trees call to the skies, the moon above, even if it ot be seen here, but Earth Trees also call to the dark earth below, to soil and life, to…” my Eye bzed as she tinued, and now that I had an indication, I was able to see the shining energy being drawn in by the leaves, and roots that drank deep of the ether ah element hidden within the ground below.

  Roots Nourishih, Branches Drinking The Moon Rank 5 – This skill is the innate ability of ah Rhyming Tree to pull ether from the surrounding world, strengthening the ether density around it, and also abs and fortifying the earth element it requires to survive and grow.

  “Shiro… oh shit, I’m shaking.” My hands were actually trembling. “Roots Nourishih, Branches Drinking The Moon.”

  “Got it. Damn, now I’m quaking, and it isn’t even my Territory.”

  “What’s mine is yours, right?” I winked, getting myself under trol, Resilience kig in. “Now, go for it!”

  Moments ter the Tree was shining brilliantly, and Asha, who had barely recovered before, was now on the ground, a rapturous expression on her face, but ohat couldn’t match mine, as amber numbers scrolled ay vision. The skill’s at Rank 6… it’s fusing my Eye as the Tree shows up as Earth Rhyming Tree Rank ??? Special at the moment, but the numbers don’t lie… and it’s not just Rank 6, it’s alsthened by the other buff, so the ether ing in… holy shit. This is huge!

  “Judging by that sloppy grin, I’m guessing that Miyu and I will be being the best of friends?” Shiro asked. “I guess it’s a good thing I won’t be going back to Uni for a couple of months…”

  “Damn right!” I grabbed her, spinning her around. “You did it Shiro, you beautiful, beautiful princess! And thanks Tan, you picked the perfect gift for her!”

  “Hey, put me down, I’m getting dizzy! I’m not used to this sort hhousing!” Shiro panted, and when I put her down, and helped the dazed, delirious and crimson Asha to her feet, getting her some water, I grinned. Gesturing to several weaselkin who were taking a break, I sent them off to fetch Azuki and Ixitt.

  “I’m going to have to make more apologies to the Detective, but this ’t wait. We o see just how far we take this. I’ll need Haru-saoo. We were close to having enough to upgrade her Territory all the way to Rank 3, but now… it’ll be ready soon enough.” There are two more Rhyming Trees… sure, the leap won’t be immense, but it’ll still be huge. And I wonder… does Asha have any skills that are worth enhang to help her Tree? Well, as soon as Ixitt gets here, he start anising the transportation of ether using the mobile Artificial Silos. Then…

  “I’m getting a bad feeling that my days of leisure are ing to an end…” Shiro sighed, watg me think. “Ugh, I’m nearly out of aether again.”

  “That doesn’t matter. I don’t care how wasteful it is, right now I’m going to pour everything io your body. Every additional blessing is more data…”

  “Phrasing Aki, phrasing.” Shiro grinned. “Well, I guess Tan knows me pretty well. I wao be needed. And I guess I am…”

  “In more ways than one. Saturday is going to be the best night of your life, but until then… it’s buffing time, oh buffing princess!”

  “Shit, that’s a desding name. I’m not sure if Princess of Hungry Ghosts is better than that. Well, for the wicked, I guess…”

  No, all. Fug hell, the Rank 5 Rhyming Tree was obse enough, but if we keep it running most of the time at Rank 6, no, effectively Rank 6 and a quarter… My mind was running the numbers. This ges things… a lot…

  ShipTeaser