Sihey were here in my Territory, and it was something I had been thinking of anyway, the o expand Chirurgery to the nobility that supported me as a whole, rather than just their children, though at my venienot just theirs, I offered to perform the work and show them around my Territory. They all deed, apart from Tsumura-san, Motoko’s grandfather, who expressed some curiosity.

  “Well, we put our precious daughters and granddaughters, some of our sons too, under your care.” he had reasoned. “I would not have risked Motoko recklessly, without being prepared to ce the same operation myself. Besides, I have seen the results on our Special Forces well enough.” His smile was kind, and I found myself liking the stern old man. Well, he is my grandfather now. Damn, I have a ton of family. I guess it makes up for not having too many surviviives before this. Well, when the secret is out, I’ll go see if I help auntie Mori’s parents. They’re both rather frail… though also rather gossipy. That reminds me, mom’s parents are still living in Britain. Friday is rgely a free day, so… perhaps I’ll see if we visit.

  “Well, nothing is entirely without risk, but I have an excellent handle on the process now, and we expect it to get better in time. Rest assured, I’d like you to live a long life, grandfather. You have to see yreat-grandchildren born, right?” At that ent, Motoko flushed, and she wasn’t the only one.

  “Of course.” He agreed. “You are quite the filial young man, I do approve. The nobility believes in family above all else, then the wellbeing of Japan. You are quite ied in both.”

  “Of course.” As I led him to another room, the others showed Fujiwara-san and the others back to their cars, though Miyu was staying for now, to perform more dances. “After all, I’ve spent most of my life here, those I love and want to protect are here.”

  “Motoko too?” He smiled, but I could see he robing me.

  “Of course. We both know that our marriage was rather… arranged.” I answered back. “And at first, I had resolved to rejeotoko and Natsumi, and I think they had resolved to abandon pursuing me. But thealked, emotions were high and…” I scratched at my head ruefully. “I’m not really sure how it happened, but our iions got all tangled up. And all of us ended up giving each other a ce. And I guess we liked what we found. Now I’ll never give yranddaughter up.” I promised.

  “Well, that’s reassuring, as we allowed a rather signifit cession.” he said, before suddenly groaning as my aether began drilling into his Astral body, Split Thoughts making short work of the now rote Chirurgery. “If you… were to abandon her now… she would be ruined for marriage.” Sweat was beading on his brows, but he tio stare at me, brown eyes resolute and intense. “And her heart would surely break.”

  “Like I said… oh, all done by the way.” I shot back, flushing out the st of the debris I could, troans. I then topped him up with enough aether to get him started. “… I’ll never give her up now. Aren’t I presenting her as one of my fiao the great and the good in the UK?” I helped him up and ran through the exercises required to ehe Boundary, which he grasped quickly. “If you are worried, you talk to me any time. We’re family now. A big family.”

  “I suppose we are.” he agreed. “Well, I have heard mas from the soldiers uhe JSDF, as well as Motoko, but as a military man, I prefer to see matters first-hand. I should have dohis some time ago. Besides, I feel full of energy, my mind feels clearer. It is as though the ravages of age have been pushed back a little, like I am twenty, no thirty years younger.”

  “Well, make the most of it. Normally that treatment would be expensive, but as my grandfather, I’ll give it to you for Motoko’s sake.” I joked. “Well, shall we go?”

  ********

  “Yes, this is as amazing as the reports say.” Tsumura-san decred, the fantastic sery and many strange creatures that made my Territory home. We had gathered by the plentiful earth energies, and the twins, Chiaki-san and Chiasa-san, were here, dressed in their red and white shrine maiden hakama, as well as Haru-san, whose work was being deyed yet again. Motoko, Natsumi, Hinata and the remaining trainees who hadn’t mastered one of the four base elements were here too, prepared to give it their all. Shaeu was here as well, as earth element was her st major fear. Selensha is more ied in wind, and Shaeraggo in water or fire. Oh well… Eri was looking on in envy, her disarrayed work clearly not up to the task of learning new elements, her cat ears and tail twitg despoly, while Shiro soled her. Daiyu was by my side, waiting and watg, a bit wary of Tsumura-san, who she had met when she was initially taken to Japan and imprisoned.

  “To think that we o defend this shadow of Japan as well.” He mused, taking a sip of the honey mead Asha had offered him. “Again, the reports were clear, but to see it in the flesh, that makes it all the more real. I am further vinced your pn to protect Tokyo and the surrounds via your Territory is the correct decision, though the publiy not look on it favourably in the loerm. Well, managing publitiment is the job of the nobility and the politis, and perhaps the faith. We will leave tasks only you do to you, my grandson.”

  “Yes, one person ’t do everything.” I agreed. “We o increase petent, trustworthy staff in every field. Recruitment for the new Ministry is rather looor Haru-san is suffering.”

  “Well, isn’t that mostly your fault, Akio-san?” she muttered. “After all, here I am again, helping out with more of your schemes, when my paperwork is piling up! He’ll be the death of me, I swear. Oh wait…” her smile was exasperated, but not unkind.

  “Sorry, but you’re just so skilled with your telepathy, until the twins mature their talents to your level you’re just invaluable, Haru-san.”

  “I think Suzuki-san would be happy to see his daughter so… lively.” Tsumura-san observed. “Though I hear he does little but pin that his daughter doesn’t spend any time with him.”

  “Look, I’m busy. Father…” she chose the word carefully so as not to embarrass herself, which was endearing, “… he’s been so gy and worried for me retly. The worst has already happened, so he should be less worried.”

  “Well, it is only natural for a father to worry. Besides, now he has received a miracle and his daughter is back, he wishes to g to you more. As a father and a grandfather, I uand it well.” Tsumura-san reassured her.

  “It’s still so annoying.” Haru-san sighed, though I could tell she was secretly pleased about it. Well, she’s definitely a ‘daddy’s girl’, isn’t she? Haru-san’s head shot round to look at me, annoyed, and I realised she might have heard me with her telepathy. Apologising in my mind, I took over.

  “All right then. Is everyone ready?” I turo Kana, who was , f power into her eyes as best she could.

  “Yes, we’re all gathered. Those of us who have mao gain access to earth element will provide our experiences.” Kana’s smile turned wicked. “I should charge a fee.”

  “In that case, you owe me first. Well, we’ll move onto wind element after this, so those who are ied ih element, step up.” I ughed, before preparing everyone. Miyu wasn’t taking part, but Michiru-san was, since she accepted my Territory was safe. “All right then. Haru-san, Chiaki-san, Chiasa-san, if you start the link, just like we did in Kyoto?”

  I felt an intrusion in my mind. I would easily be able to reject it, my mental strength, my Resilience, far surpassing what Haru-san could do, but I allowed it in, and soon I was ected to many thoughts, many minds, the twins straining with the heavy mental burden. “All right. Those who wah element, prepare yourselves.”

  “I shall watch, if I may.” Daiyu asked me. “I do not wish to damage my Foundation by mixing in other teiques, but as my Foundation requires earth-aspected Qi, it might be enlightening…” I accepted her request easily, and she was linked in, along with Motoko and Natsumi, whoing to take my earlier advid learn wind for the synergy with the Tsumura Arts, but they still wished to experiehers succeeding, to bolster their own ces. Hinata wanted fme element, but in the end she had promised oh element first, since we cked ready access to fire in our Territory for now. It’s difficult to gee enough iteries to train others… Michiru-san and the other trainees wanted earth element as well, for defensive purposes, as well as the two extra levels due to the White Snake Earth Altar, and that applied to the twins and also Ren-san, who had a manly, determined expression on his face.

  “Right, I’m going to share my memories. Kana, Hotene-san, Kazumi-san, you as well.” As Haru-san and the twins spread our thoughts out, those who wished to learn drew in the ruby energies around us, Tsumura-san watg on with great i. Everyone had different levels of skill and ability, Keomi- struggling most of all, but with my Eye and the shared thoughts I could offer targeted advice. I was about to open my mouth to tell Keomi- her tration was slipping, her mental image of her root chakra inplete, when Ka me to it.

  “Oh e on, Keomi-, I know you do better than that. The earth element is spilling out and going up towards your sacral chakra. It must hurt, right?” Kana g me, stig her to, proud she had noticed as well. “Well, what are you waiting for, Akio? Healing now please!”

  I ughed at that. I guess Kana is drawing on the information from my Eye through the lielepathy? She’s e a long way. Really, that’s good though. As I soothed the damage to Keomi-’s work, a little Chirurgery polishing away some remaining imperfes, Keomi- asked me if we would be celebrating with cake if they succeeded.

  “Well, aren’t you the cheeky little glutton?” I ughed, rubbing her head, wanting to pamper her, as like Hotene-san, she had been traumatised by the events of Kyoto and the deaths and her injuries. Haru-san had done good work with her Mind-Healing Light, but even so, such sorrows were hard to recover from. “Fine, you ma, and then gaira two levels as well, and you’ll get a reward. The same goes for all of you.”

  “Well, now I’m pretty motivated!” one of Kana’s friends, Mio-san said happily, before wing as the earth energies slipped free from her grasp. Kana shook her head, tutting at her in annoyance, making her blush.

  Shaeu was at the tre of the vortex, drawing in far more earth element than anyone else, though she was sweating silver in rivulets down her fad arms, and her expression was twisted in uainty and fear. I attempted to bance her though our bonds, and I expected it should be easy to learn it as the other three elements were enough to form a plete circle, only to be proved wrong as the lightning element within her overstimuted the wind and fme around her heart and sor plexus. She groaned in pain, struggling, her Ether Healing joining with mio repair the disarray within. “Well, this is not-not as easy as you promised.” She accused me with a wry smile. “It should just-just slot into pce, all in bance, you said. I recall it clearly.”

  “Yeah, sorry about… hmm, good job!” I was using Split Thoughts to monitor everyone, and the first success had e, Ren-san solidifying the ruby energies at his root chakra. Whereas before he might have been boastful, now he merely smiled happily.

  “Well, I missed out st time, since I already knew light element.” He said. “I’d be letting down Hikawa-Kawagoe shrine and all our kami was I to fail here. Besides…” he looked at the others. “… I should set an example.”

  “That’s cool, Ren-kun!” Asami-san said, face a little red. Kana looked at me then, and I felt a little of her thoughts leak over to me through the telepathy. Oh, so she likes Ren-san huh? Well, he is a handsome boy, no question. Well, good for him…

  “Hmm, Asami-san, I think you’re not too far off yourself.” I tried to boost her fidence. “Your problem is you are narrowing the flow too much, and…” I gave some expnations, mostly though telepathy again, which made the process far simpler.

  “I too am successful! My ninjitsu shall know no limits now!” Michiru-san decred, and she was immediately usih element to jure small, sharp rocks, throwing them like shuriken.

  “I’ll help Asami- and Mio-. Hisano-san too.” Kana promised. “You focus on Shaeu, looks like she’s having a hard time. You have to look after those you love, right?” she winked, and Shaeu managed a bitter cackle.

  “I am fine-fine. For now…” she managed bravely. “Do assist Hinata. My Eyes see she is close!”

  “All right.” I gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, before joining my other fiancée, who was grinning at me ruefully.

  “Akio, I’ve been practising this for weeks, but there’s something missing, I think…” she suddenly squeaked, flushing, as I took her in my arms.

  “Just calm down. I’m here. Listen to my thoughts…”

  “This is a unique kind of hell…” Haru-san muttered, and the twins iredly, their faces red. “There is far too much tender emotion we have to process. Oh well, I suppose I already knew what a romantic Akio-san was. Some of the rest of you surprise me though…” she grinned, and several people looked sheepish, but I paid that no mind, my warm feelings aailed thoughts reag Hinata.

  “I see! Yes, seeing through your Eye really does make a difference.” Hinata agreed. “And knowing you support me… well, I’m not going to lose!” Her brown eyes looked into mine, determined, and she began to draw in the riergies with renewed vigour…

  ********

  “Good job, Hisano-san.” I gratuted Kana’s school-friend, who also happeo be Yasu-san’s cousin, much as I tried tet that fact. Especially since she modelled for our chakra work experiments. Damn, I hope he never finds out about that, I’d never hear the end of it. “How does it feel?”

  “Strange.” She grinned weakly, which made her look prettier, definitely. She was a rather gloomy girl, ordinarily, a far cry from her fmboyantly upbeat cousin, even if he was inappropriately so at times. “When I first had the Chirurgery, as you called it, I felt stronger, faster, smarter… but that was all… well, ordinary, if you know what I mean? Like, it could happen. But this…” she gestured, ruby energy flowing, and the ground splintered. Her trol was still awful, but her root chakra was definitely geih element. “… this is really magic. I sometimes think that the st few weeks have all been a dream.”

  “Nope, no dream.” I promised. “Well, I’m gd to see you fitting in with the irls. When we first met, you were very wary of them, well, all but Kikuchi-san.”

  “I’m a bit of a loner.” She admitted. “Not like my cousin.”

  “Yeah, Yasu-san is one of a kind, that’s for sure. Uh… so, about the other day…” I said, and she smiled.

  “Oh, you mean when you used me as a model? Don’t worry, I wouldn’t tell my cousin that. It was embarrassing enough that I’d like tet it. But… it helped, right?”

  “It did. This will too.” I looked around. Only Keomi-, Mio-san and Shaeu were left. Everyone else had successfully mastered earth element. “With so many successes, if you add what we achieved with the light element in Kyoto… well, I’ve already got some ideas on how this all works and how it be improved. We ’t just rely on Haru-san and the twins forever.”

  “I see. Well…” her eyes looked at the distant horizon. “… Yasu-kun will be w for yht? Maybe… well, I’ve not thought of what I’ll do when I graduate. If I wao work for you, with Maiko-san and the others…”

  “Sure. Well, you’re already an employee of mine, right? But when you’re older, if you want to make it formal, I’m sure I’ll be hiring.” I promised. “As for Yasu-san… I’ll put you in a differement, I promise.” I joked, getting another cute smile from her. “Anyway…”

  “Yes, I think Shaeu needs you again.” She said, and I nodded. Even as I did so, Keomi- let out a bright ugh of happiness, finally succeeding, before dropping to the ground like a puppet with cut strings, her strength exhausted.

  “This… is not-not fun!” Shaeu pined, her face twisted into an expression of pain. “It is so-so frustrating. Well, at least I no-no longer fear the earth. If it was so inimical to me, I would not-not be able to e so…” Lightning, wind, fme and water were swirling around her, g crazily within and without. She coughed, silver and red blood spttering the ground, befrittieeth, grin bloody. “It seems I am-am the st. How shameful.” Mio-san was smiling, showing peace signs with her firiumphantly, sitting down beside the limp Keomi-.

  “Well, it’s a matter of a different scale, isn’t it?” I said, and she agreed.

  “True. I am not-not sant to expect to bance four elements as easily as one learns a first.” Her amber eyes gleamed. There was no real need for telepathy now, so the twins and Haru-saaking a break, Asha and Hyath having brought more refreshments, which everyone artaking in, washing away their exhaustion. “However, this is still-still most annoying. For I wish-wish to break the final lingering whispers of weakness within me. But the cursed lightning, lightning I longed for, it does-does interfere so!”

  Yeah, when I bahe four elements within myself, I didn’t yet have my Wood element, so… wait, that’s it… “Shaeu, I’ve got a pn.” I smiled, Split Thoughts quickly calg. “At worst it will just exhaust you a bit, but at best…” I pulled out St Moonlight, and expined quickly. Shaeu paused, surprised, befrinning.

  “I see-see. Clever.” She approved. “Well, if you insist!” Lightning fshed, and she grasped the bde, heedless of the way it cut her flesh. Lightning poured from her into the sword, which glittered dully, shimmering sparks of yellow and green lightning dang.

  “There. I am now-y. My heart and sor plexus still does-does fight me, but the flict is much reduced. I believe…” she released my swoing to wipe her sweaty forehead, but I grasped her hand, Healing it, using my own free hand to mop her brow. “… I follow your method now. Light does not-not interfere…”

  “Well, it should be like a missing spoke of a wheel. The earth should feed the water, while the fire feeds it. The wind pushes against the earth, but with fire feeding, you …” I trailed off, Eye gleaming. “Let out some fme element as well. That should help…” I started applying Chirurgery, her heart and lunar chakras being bled of some of the turbulent wind energy, just enough to lessen the push.

  “I think… I…” Time passed, my bde crag with expelled lightning, Shaeu and I bining our wills to push her body. She was defiaking signifit damage, the earth element a nature opposing her existence, but her existence was far from just one of wind now, and the lunar chakra a chakra had both stopped resisting, the wind quiest. Moments ter, the flow of fire stabilised, and then the earth began to stabilise. Lightning crackled, but it no longer pushed back against the earth element, and Shaeu g to me, expression solemn.

  “It… it is-is done, correct?”

  “It is.” I promised, rubbing her head gently. “gratutions, Shaeu. Another element is yours.”

  “I… it is a grand thing, to overe one’s fears. You have pushed me, and I have-have pushed myself. And now…”

  “Ahem.” Hinata coughed, holding in a ugh. “We’re here too, Akio, Shaeu. Don’t fet about us.”

  At that we both flushed, before I released Shaeu, who tottered over to Hinata. “Indeed. You have done quite-quite well too. All of you have. Ihe fruits of our training are just rewards for all our hard-hard work and sacrifices.”

  Sacrifices. “Yes, not everyone who started this journey is with us anymore. Your fellow trainees, friends, our Fae rades… never fet them. That’s why we o keep training, keep strengthening ourselves, so that we never suffer such regrets again, helpless to protect our friends!” I decred, and at that there was a sad round of appuse.

  “So, I do not quite uand.” Tsumura-san observed after my speech. “But it seems there were great strides made here. Is it always this easy?”

  “Easy? Hardly. We’ve just been fortunate in the puzzle pieces we have. Haru-san, the twins, my experiences, Shaeu’s knowledge. A rich source of earth element, boosted further by Shiro’s buffs… no, this isn’t easy at all. I nearly died learning my first element, and might have, if not for Shaeu’s guidance. Well, with far stronger chakra works, I think people are less at risk, but even so… strength es with equal danger. But we are here to minimise it…”

  “You hear that?” Hinata smirked. “Well, you two had better succeed with your wind element now, or I’ll be sure to be insufferable.” she told Motoko and Natsumi, smirking impishly.

  “Have no fear. We are resolved.” Motoko promised, and Natsumi nodded.

  “Yes, how we fail now? After seeing everyone else trying so hard and succeeding.”

  “All right then. A brief rest, and then while Motoko and Natsumi go for wind element at Shaeu’s old Territory, the rest of you… it’s off to the seaside. Those levels you gain won’t gain themselves!” There were tired groans, but I buoyed them up by promising a celebratory party Wednesday night, and with that we departed…

  ********

  “Not bad, sister-in-w.” Shaeu praised Selensha. “A little more and you shall surely-surely succeed.” She gri the stoatkin, who was leaning on her ornate, crystal-topped staff, white fur stuck to her iy whorls, silver mist rising.

  “It’s quite the strain. The wind, it is fed by my water element, and springs out of my trol too quickly, causing me great pain and some injury. I am ihat you have ma so often.”

  “Well, I did not-not do it alone.” She turned her warm gaze on Motoko and Natsumi, who were hugging, wind element swirling around them, having made their owhroughs. “But this st-st one was a terrible trial. It would be like-like you seeking fme element.”

  Selensha shuddered at that. “Well, we Fae transd our limits, as Princess Estalian has proved, and others… but to cross that divide… it strikes me as fearful.”

  “Oh, it was, it most-most certainly was. But… when you have those you love beside you, supp you, all things are possible.” She puffed out her chest proudly.

  “Right, well, everyone should have gaihose two levels. It’s not a huge boost, but the extra stats might make a difference. Well, Tsumura-san, I hope this sets your mind at ease.”

  “It does.” He agreed, watg his delighted granddaughter. “Our family was a burden to Motoko. She loved the spear, the bow, the sword, martial arts. Our family legacy of such though, it seemed to have no p the world anymore. After all… a gun ot be stopped by a sword.”

  “Well, that was then. Now… I think there’ll always be a pce funs and bombs, tanks and pnes. But…” I gathered my thoughts. “If we tio grow, strengthen our Leagues, I think… the day that ordinary ons ’t defeat the most powerful Chosen is iable. Though if Ixitt has his way, he’ll improve our ons to make up for that. It’ll be a never-ending arms race, but… yranddaughters skills, Natsumi’s skills… they aren’t useless or a burden. In fact, they’ll shine.”

  “I appreciate you thinking of them so deeply. I do nret my choice to entrust Motoko to you. Really, there was no happiness in her future if she followed the traditional path of a noble daughter. But…” his gaze sharpened, eyes looking into mine, and the kindly old man was gone, repced with the powerful, proud head of the JSDF. “… this visit has only showed me the greater importance of our best assets having such training. Special Forces, I want them all to have this earth element and the extra levels you speak of. hter pilots and other specialist troops need Chirurgery as well.”

  “Yes, well, I simply don’t have the time and the resources to dedicate to that. I’d rather raise my owe crew, I think lohat’s more beneficial.” I refused him. “However, more Chirurgery for the pilots I squeeze in, if the appropriate pensation is paid.” Even with the twins and Haru-san it isn’t easy. Sure, we’re probably advang faster than most, but our trainees have been w on drawing is for weeks, months in some cases. Ideally… Kana wao be a Chirurgeon, and had some telepathic gifts herself, though they were and erhaps if she take over some of the burden…

  “Not now, for the rest.” I shook my head. “We have to worry about our trip to the UK before any of that.”

  “I uand. But time is running through our fingers like sand from an hss.” Tsumura-san warned. “The more preparations we do ahead of time, the better.”

  “Yeah. Well, the fighter pilots, week I do those. How many are there?” I asked.

  “Well, we had three hundred and thirty assorted fighter aircraft, though thanks to our deal with the USA we will have a number more. ting the backup pilots, around five hundred and fifty men and women in total.”

  “Damn, that’s nearly twice what the Special Forces had. Well, with proper buffs I do it. So, in terms of pensation…”

  “I think you need more than just financial support. Manpower is what you o? Well, we have a number of logistics divisions, what better to speed up many of your pnned projects?”

  “I think we’ll o haggle over that.” I agreed. “But we are moving to the stru phase soon on a few ventures… anyway, for now, I have my own training to do.” I have to test out False Void Motion. I never really got the ce…

  Tsumura-san took the hint, and as it was growing te, he departed, but not before telling his granddaughter and Natsumi not to tarry too long, as they would be missing school over the weekend. As he vanished, I grinned.

  “All right. Selensha, keep at it, I know you’ll crack it. As for the three of you… status time.”

  “I have been waiting for this-this.” Shaeu grinned. “I do very mujoy the role-pying games you have in the mortal world. And seeing the numbers rise is so very-very satisfying. But pared to seeing our own gains, well, it rather pales in parison, does it not-not?”

  “I too wish to see the fruits of our bours.” Motoko agreed.

  “Yes, I want to know how I stack up to Motoko. I won’t lose!” Natsumi decred.

  “All right then. Here we go…”

  “Well, you’ve had some nice Rank increases across the board, and your intangible stats have gone up a lot. Your level is a bit low, but sadly you’ve missed out on a lot of the grinding sessions due to all the politig you’ve been doing at the Spring. But your cap is high enough that we rectify that any time.” I approved. “You got the Wielder of Elements css as I expected too, which is a nice boost to your elemental power and recovery. But really, there’s only ohing of i…”

  “Royal Fae.” Shaeu grinned wolfishly, aowledging what I had noticed.

  “That makes me wonder. If Nature is also a royal element, why isn’t Hyath one? Or other wood users. It’s not as unon as lightning, is it?” I asked, and she agreed, eyes glittering with anticipation as my own Eye gleamed. Here goes.

  Royal Fae are female Fae with suitable strength and League, who are in possession of the female royal element, Lightning, or male Fae with suitable strength and League, possessing the male royal element, Wood. This does not mean that a Fae is of the Royal line, or rules any Fae, only that their bearing and pedigree has transded mere Nobility to bee greater.

  “I see.” Shaeu ughed, g my hands, while Selensha looked on, bemused but a little proud of her sister-in-w. “Our Oaths we swore. We are oep closer! Now none-none gainsay my rights, those who are holding out will surely-surely fall into line!” Her grin was radiant, before she remembered that Natsumi and Motoko were there too, and she blushed, before coughing, reining in her cute excitement. “Well, that shall-shall suffie for now. Please enlighteo their efforts.”

  Hmm, Natsumi and Motoko are pretty simir in terms of stats and abilities. If anything, Motoko has the edge, but Natsumi has a slightly stronger wind affinity for now…

  “Well, Tsumura Arts is no longer a trip Css. Is that because you have a now and it’s desigo be used with one?” I mused.

  Motoko ignored what I thought would have drawtention immediately, instead pining, face red. “Why is my Lovers’ Link skill a lower Rank than yours, Natsumi? I do not love Akio any less!”

  Wow, Déjà vu! I internally mimicked my sister. Why is everyone hung up on that?

  “I don’t think that at all. I think… well, while you were absent, I helped sole Akio with my body a.” Natsumi answered, and Shaeu nodded.

  “Eri and I, we peted foolishly over the same-same matter. It is not-not a refle of your feelings, only that your bond is deepening, through emotion and physical intimacy. If you worry about the Rank, simply resolve to give more to Akio, to drown deep-deep in his embrace.” She grinned.

  “Well, we’ll have time in London. We do have a suite, just the four of us, right?” Natsumi ughed, and Shaeu sighed enviously, cursing she had other matters to attend to, so couldn’t go with us.

  “In any case, you’ve beuch stronger due to your training with Ulfuric. I think if you keep it up, you’ll surpass my on skills in short order with your long years of carrying the Tsumura arts with you.”

  “I won’t lose. I know I’m not as good with the sword and bow as you, Motoko, but seeing it in raw numbers hurts! I won’t rest until we are equal!”

  “At least say you shall surpass me!” Motoko said teasingly, and with that, after some mhter and gratutions on their successes, Motoko and Natsumi returo the Material, well satisfied.

  “Well, so, my sweet Royal Fae Shaeu, shall we go?” I extended a hand, and she grasped it happily.

  “Indeed. tio train and you shall succeed, Selensha. And when-when you do, I shall petition Akio to make you the sed to receive our Spirit Water, as a reward.”

  “Sed?” Selensha asked, and she nodded. “Indeed. First is Daiyu. You wish her to gain the Spiritually Pure Physique, do you not-not? You worry for her, and her fragile mental state.”

  “I do.” I agreed. “Well, good luck Selensha. Even Grulgor is putting in effort I hear, so don’t let him outshine you. Well, if you need further advice, feel free to seek us out…” and with that, we headed back towards Shirohebizumi shrine…

  ********

  “So, what is Hyath doing?” I asked Daiyu, who was sitting ius position withiide of earth energies, slowly fortifying herself with them. Hyath was looking at a disgusting lump of what looked like fungus, which was eerily remi of Duke Myrcoxriath. As I watched, her face twisted, and nature energy surged from her, the lump drinking it in. I fred my Eye a little, and I could see she rodug Myid Duke Spores? Stunned, I watched as the lump began to quiver and grow, increasing signifitly in size, before Hyath slumped over, clearly spent.

  “That rat-man came and expio her about fungus cultivation. Shiitake mushrooms, I believe. He wanted Hyath to use the pieces you see to grow more. Apparently it has a great deal of uses….”

  “Well yes, Bjarki was using it in the armoured cloth. Damn, we just expand his corpse like that? That’s so messed up, but also really clever. Ixitt never fails to e up with mad-stist ideas. In that case…” The parts of Myrcoxriath were the limited resource, so with that no lohe case, we don’t have to be sal with the cloth, though there’s no way that Bjarki meet demand by himself… hmm… mass produ? Some sort of cloth looms… uh, I daresay there’s a ton of issues but… well, perhaps when I’m back from the UK I’ll have time to think about it.

  “So, how was it? I mean. I feel a bit bad you were one of the few who didn’t gain anything from today.”

  Daiyu shook her head. “I gained signifit insights. And fidence.”

  “fidence?” I asked, and her smile was abnormally excited.

  “fidence.” She repeated. “In my choices. Seeing the craft, the research that you p your Cultivation… for what you do clearly is Cultivation, if under a different system, a set of rules…” she tinued, her normally expressionless face blooming like a flower. “… I want to be part of the same, to push my Cultivation, no, ours, to new heights together. And I believe we do it. The blessings from the Heavens, elemental Qi, Heavenly ah Qi… I believe all be uood and improved upon, until we reach the heights of Kunlun, without their advaheir history. The Incorruptible Jade will stand proud once more. We will, my panion.” She paused then. “It was rather unpleasant, after the Spirit Water. I did ooze many impurities, more than I believed I held within me, after my life spent in ascetic rigour and denial of earthly pleasures… well, I have decided. I will deny myself no more. To Cultivate is to be greedy…” her happy smile turned wicked. “… and I am greedy for what es .”

  “What is ?” I asked, and she looked down slyly, reminding me of my sis when she was teasing me for a moment.

  “Well, I shall leave that to your imagination. But… I wish for it to be soon. As, for now...” she looked at the ruby fountains of earth energies. “… there is plentiful earth energy here, and I believe you are st light element, which serve as Yang Qi, though it would take much refi. I could surpass Foundation in short order and begin my Accumution. I remember our Sect’s Teiques. But I refuse to move on, until I have rebuilt my Foundation with the Spiritually Pure Physique, and also… well, again, that es ter. But not much ter.”

  “Fine. Well, I’ll leave you to your meditation. I have to train myself, or else Shaeu is going to leave me behind. She’s catg me up again.” I ughed. Uhing St Moonlight, I took up a position, before letting out a great surge of aether, trying to give it a spatial aspect, verting it to that element. A few moments ter the world around me blurred, and I had reappeared some twenty metres away. Too slow. Too ineffit. Well, at least I hit my mark. All right, time to go again…

  ShipTeaser