“I’m home.” I called, as I walked through the door after another day at school. I had spent an hour practising kyūdō with the few members of our school club, but it was frustrating in a lot of ways. Firstly, the focus of it had ged. I still loved archery, perhaps more than ever, but it was no longer in terms of petition. At least not against other athletes. I’d like to challenge Shaeu’s brain. I don’t think I’d win, but I wouldn’t get so badly beaten, no way!

  No, now my focus was on honing both my bat skills with the bow, as well as the spiritual side to kyūdō, which would hopefully improve my strength in terms of spiritual aspects. Remembering seeing my bro, Shaeu and the others on TV, being praised as the saviours of Britain, I ched my fist, vowing to myself I’d get strong enough to help my bro, help them all too.

  Taking off my outdoor shoes and pulling on a pair of slippers I noticed a lot of unfamiliar shoes in the rack by the duests, huh? Putting that aside, the other reason it was so irritating was the fact that now the school’s small kyūdō dojo was thronged with gawkers and curious students from all grades, and I was starting to feel a bit like a spectacle. I ’t say it’s not o get attention, and wow, Rika- and Yae- are loving their popurity, though Yae-… wow, no point w over it, I don’t think much of her ces, but… pared to the sort of people my bro is meeting, Princesses, Queens, Politis, rich businessmeing popur with the juniors at school seems kind of me…

  As I was thinking about my Territory, or ck of one, and how I wished I could do more to help my bro, Eri, Shaeu and the others, I opehe door to the living room, and I was greeted cheerfully by my mom. “Wele back, Ai dear.”

  She wasn’t the only ohough. I was greeted in English by two people I don’t think I had ever seen in person before, but I had seen pictures and talked a little using the phone. I ’t believe we were so poor that we didn’t even really make many fn calls due to the cost. How things have ged. Way to go bro… My thoughts were scattered as I met my grandparents in person for the first time.

  “Good evening, Aiko. You’re an awfully pretty girl. Just like your mrandfather said, and grandmgled, despite her age, reminding me of mom a bit.

  “Oh you ’t say something like that Jack, even if it’s true. Look, you’ve embarrassed her. Aiko dear, it’s wonderful to finally meet you, randdaughter.” Grandmother was smiling fondly, and I felt faint tears stirring in my eyes.

  “Hi. It’s good to meet you at st. Big bro told me all about you.” I managed, befrandmother Evelyn enfolded me in a warm hug.

  “You’re a big girl.” She said warmly.

  “Not as big as mom.” I protested, before my face reddened, embarrassed. I shouldn’t be making jokes about my boobs, not during such a happy occasion. Wow, I’m all over the pce… as we hugged, I heard a loud, fake cough, and turo see auntie Hana and uncle Junpei were here too, looking amused, and beside them were two people I didn’t see that often, auntie’s parents.

  “Wele back little Ai. You remember my parents, right?” she said in Japanese.

  “Of course. Eri and I, we’re like sisters, no we are sisters. So you’re my grandparents too, Haruyo-san, Wataru-san.” I greeted them. “You’re… looking well?” I wasn’t sure why I phrased it as a question, but Haruyo-san shook her head, a touhappily, I thought.

  “We are getting by, Aiko-.” She said. “Though Wataru and I are feeling rather left out. To think, we had to find out about randson-in-w and all of this through the television, rather than from our family.” The frail-looking woman in her mid-sixties was still rather good-looking, but I knew she and Wataru-san both weren’t well at all. Though it’s nothing terminal. Now that they know…

  “That’s right.” Wataru-san agreed. He was a few years older than Haruyo-san and had a nasty cough that was always worse in the winter, and usually left him bedridden and feverish for most of the season. “When we heard randdaughter was finally engaged, we wao celebrate, but then Akio-kun was gohen our Eri- moved to Tokyo after getting injured…”

  “Sorry.” Auntie said. “I did want to tell you. I don’t like keepis from you all, but…”

  As they spoke in rapid Japanese, my British grandparents were looking fused, trying to parse it with their limited English skills, so I decided to do them a favour and transte. As grandmother Evelyn released me, I shook hands with grandfather Jack, which I found a little funny, his solemnity out of p this reunion.

  “That’s the grandfather of Eri, my big bro’s first fiancée. Wow, first. Even after several months, saying it like that makes me feel guilty.” It is all for the best though. There are so many happy girls around my bro noulling together. But it needs Eri to recover to be perfect. And also… ’t bro find her a Divine Favour? It would really boost her fidence… “He’s pining that we old them about my bro and everything that’s been going on. I get it. I hated bei out myself.” Remembering it just made me mad, though I also remembered pulling a ton of pranks on my bro, pointing out all the insistencies and obvious failures to hide what was going oing him worked up, and theending it didn’t matter, leaving him flummoxed. I was a bit of a bitch, really. But my bro… he left us. I should be allowed that much payback! At least things are different now, and Eri and me, we stand at his side, not behind him!

  “I’m sorry mother, father.” Auntie was saying, flustered. “But it was a closely guarded secret. And you know how you both like to gossip!”

  “That’s true.” Uncle said. “Besides, we only found out ourselves around Eri’s birthday. So it’s only been a short time…”

  “Akio didn’t tell us on his first visit either.” Grandfather Jack said to me, after I expined what everyone was arguing about. “I uand why. Knowing be dangerous. He just wao keep us safe. But…”

  “Everything’s all out in the open now. My Aki, he’s a worldwide phenomenon, a hero! And didn’t the girls look seous in their dresses? It’s just a shame Eri wasn’t able to be on TV!” mom piped up, trying to distract them from their argument, which judging by the frustrated expression on dad and uncle’s faces, was ohey’d had already.

  “Yes, that would be wonderful. My shy little Eri, out in front of the world…” Auntie Hana said, shaking her head.

  “It’ll definitely happen.” I grinned, picturing it. “Eri’s not nearly as shy as she was. It’s done her good, mixing with irls. Besides, don’t you want to see me out there too, mom?” I asked, and she looked at me in surprise.

  “No, Ai! You’re a hundred pert blood reted to Aki, you ’t be his bride!” she protested, and I wasirely sure she was joking. The ent had put a stop to the argument at least. Mission aplished, I guess? Just a shame I had to be embarrassed to stop it.

  “You know I don’t mean that, mom. So embarrassing!” I pouted. “If you start teasing me over that as well, I’ll get mad. I get enough of it at school. Being serious now, after all, I’m…” The room was small and cramped, our house pretty tiny, though being out in the boo was still rger than you’d find iy. But there was enough room for what I wanted. With a wicked smile, I raised one arm, and suddenly a golden version of Eri appeared in the vat space. My parents had seen the Golden Sister Army before, of course, uncle and auoo, but the others froze, open-mouthed, the argument driven from their minds by the sudden shock. I took a pose, hands on my hips in a way I had practised in front of the mirror until I had it looking cool enough, and grinned.

  “See mom? I’m just like big bro now, and you know it. I’m part of his alliance, just like Haru-, Miyu- and the others.” If it wasn’t for the fact he told me that he had a couple of men as his vassals too, I’d start thinking bro was using that as an excuse to start grooming some more fiancée didates. He’s not that sly though, and Eri would take ao him…

  “That’s… I’ve seen some things, but it still amazes me.” Grandfather Jack said, reag out gingerly, before toug the golden statue, seeming almost surprised it was real. “You too, Aiko? From what I uand those Chosen by the Gods are very rare indeed. Looks like our blood is strong.” He crossed himself. “Five me God for the bsphemy.”

  I guess it’s hard for the devout to aowledge ods exist. The proof’s right here, though. Kans, or I couldn’t call on the Sister Army… “Good, now we’ve all quietened down, mom, I’m hungry. What’s for dinner?”

  Mom burst out ughing at that. “Oh Ai, you are a cheeky girl. I don’t know where you get that attitude from. Aki is such a good boy…”

  I s that. “Yeah, right. A good boy has a soccer team of women… uh, sorry auntie…” I said apologetically, but she shook her head, dismissing my apology.

  “It’s fine. No, not fine, but I have to accept what I ’t ge. I’m talking to little Eri most days, and her rehabilitation is going well, and she’s getting on with the others. Like you said, little Ai, being out in the wider world, having to deal with others she ’t ig’s been good for her. So...” she looked at her parents. “… you pair of gossips just quiet down for now. We’ll talk it out over dinner. Do you need a hand, Emi?” she asked, and my mom shook her head.

  “No, we’re nearly done. Sihis is a special occasion though, dear, break out the good whiskey and sake our son gave us. This is a celebration! Our whole family is together for the first time! Apart from Aki, but… he’s here in spirit!”

  “Not the whole family.” I snickered, amused. “Eri’s missing too. And not just her. If y all the irls and their families too… we’d o hire the town hall. And find a way into the Boundary…” Even without Eri and my bro, I’m feeliional. It’s the little things like this that make it real, the ways our lives have all ged for the better because of big bro…

  ********

  “I still ’t believe both randchildren are special.” Grandfather Jack was saying. “This is excellent, Emily, you’ve got better at cooking over the years.”

  “Is it to your taste? I tried making it a bit more Westernised as Aki told us you’d be here today.” mom said, fretting a little. Dad had opened several bottles of booze and was sipping on the golden tents of one gss happily. Meanwhile, Auntie was still telling off her own parents.

  “I remember that time I told you in fidence about that matter, and before I k, everyone in your vilge knew. And it wasn’t the only time…” she was saying, and Eri’s grandparents looked a bit ashamed. “… I simply couldn’t risk little Aki’s secrets. You’ve seen it, right? There is security oy-four hour shifts in Nishimorioka, always keeping a for trouble.”

  “Yes, but do you think we’d have talked about this?” Haruyo-san said, a little affronted. “This isn’t gossip, it’s a miracle…”

  “Little Aki was simply keeping things close to his chest. He was going to tell you in time. He just wao get things stable first, right little Ai?” Auntie Hana asked me, just as I was expining to my grandparents that no, I wasn’t Chosen like my bro.

  “So yeah, my bro, he actually gave me this power. It came from someone else. But that’s a big secret only known to the higher-ups of the try, so nobody knows that, all right? Oh, yeah… my bro actually was super rexed and useless at keeping things secret, and Shaeu, she’s the cute little blonde girl everyone’s memeing over…” my grandparents and Eri’s all looked fused as mom transted. “… uh, never mind. What matters is they were careless, and I’m told it got really bad, and Kana- and her family could have been killed over it. Ah, Kana- is the shrine maiden of the shrine bro has set up his base at. She’s a funny girl. Cute too.” I’m actually really happy for her that my bro finally aowledged her feelings. Bro was stringing her along something fierce just to make himself feel better. I know why he did it, he’s under a lot of pressure, but that’s his own fault. I may have suggested he accept Shaeu, but he did it, and gathered all the others too. Using Kana- as a sacrifice to rex himself was just a dick move.

  “I see. We should meet her again, right dear?” mom asked dad, and he nodded, gss still in hand.

  “I believe so. We had the pleasure of meeting her parents in Kyoto, they seemed good, ho people.”

  “I think Kana-’s mom might share some of the same worries as you, auntie.” I giggled, before my expression turned grave, tinuing. “That’s all very well, but what matters is that wasn’t the only problem. The US tried to abduct my bro and Shaeu, even using special forces and meraries. Again, people nearly died. And it’s due to us all being stupid. We were careless in Las Vegas, indiscreet. So don’t bme my bro for wanting to keep secrets, even from family. When it’s time to say, he does. Like with you, grandpa, grandma.” I was less formal now I’d got used to them over the st hour or so.

  “Yes, so quit your pining. You’re embarrassing me.” auntie said, shaking her head. “Now that you know, there’s no more reason to gripe. When we see little Aki, he’ll give you the Chirurgery, and your health will improve.”

  “What happens if we had died before then? You know how sickly we get in the winter.” Wataru-san said sourly. “Would you have been fih that, Hana?”

  Wow, that’s so selfish and annoying. It’s lucky Eri isn’t here, I’d hate for her to lose respect for her own grandparents. My face must have been showing my annoyance, as Mom squeezed my leg uhe table. I gnced over, only to see her tellio keep silent. Fine. But I don’t like their attitude.

  “You’ve managed all these years just fine.” She said, sighing. “Mother, father, you didn’t o worry. We have money now. We afford the best healthcare, your house won’t be draughty and damp… in fact…” Hana looked at my dad, who spoke, his voice calm and collected.

  “There is no use dwelling on the past. My son is a man now. He makes his own decisions and has to live with them. For what it is worth, I do agree he o be more cautious. Even now.” He me. “The world knows his name, his face, but not much else. Secrets such as how Aiko gained her powers must be kept. And more importantly… we must not bee a drag on him, a weako be exploited.”

  “That’s why we are here.” Grandpa said, after he uood dad’s words. “It’s not just to visit our family and see randdaughter. Though that is a long overdue treat.” He smiled at me, and I ouched. “It’s to make sure we ’t be used against him. The same goes for you, I’m sure.” He said to Haruyo-san and Wataru-san, and after it was trahey had no choice but to agree.

  “That’s right. Little Eri might not be publicly known like the others, but little Aki has dohing to hide their retionship, not that he should have dohey are childhood friends in love, there’s nothing to hide!” auntie repeated vehemently. “But that means our family, they could be targets. I’m not so worried about you, little Ai…”

  “I’m not overfident.” I said, surprising them. The golden Eri had long since vanished, as I didn’t like to waste aether unnecessarily, preferring to save it for the Boundary, “Sure, I’m not easy to take down. Your average gang of thugs or kidnappers, I’d beat to a pulp.” I flexed my arms, grinning. “But against trained professionals like my bro took on? Or worse, another Chosen? I don’t like to take ces. It’d be a tragedy if something happeo cute little me, right?” I ughed, making a joke, before shaking my head, suddenly serious. This is something I thought about, when I accepted this Favour. It’s still a risk I wao take. I don’t regret it. How could I?

  Before anyone could protest, I tinued. “Obviously, I have no wish to end up getting kidortured or worse. That’d suck right?” I said dryly. “But we all know it’d kill my bro. He’s already still feeling guilt over Kyoto, and then Tsukiko-. If it was me…” I ched my fists, resolute. “It’s why I’m training hard every night, and even helping Rika- and Yae- as best as I . I don’t want to be the thing that breaks my bro. And maybe dooms Japan.”

  “Well said, daughter.” Dad said when I was dohough I could do without ying up such tragic outes. To think of you being captured, tortured…” his hand was white around the gss. “… but we have to be realistic. That is why we have security. In fact, I have seen a new group around the vilge.”

  “Yeah, they are trained meraries, apparently. Trained in both senses.” I said. “They rotate in with groups of twenty, and bro is putting his all into whipping them into shape. Each rotation, they should be a little more useful. But against someone like my bro, they’ll be about as much use as a butter knife against a lion.”

  “That’s why we have to make a decision.” Dad said, looking at everyoernly. “ut it off no longer. Now that father-in-w and mother-in-w are here, it is the perfect time. Our son has been profligate with his wealth.” He said, and mom giggled, looking far youhan her age.

  “Let our boy spend, dear. He hates that we scrimped and saved for him and Ai all these years and he wants to give back. I think it’s sweet.”

  “Yes, well, it does rather hurt my pride as his father. But I accept it. No, the decision we have to make is… should we all move to Tokyo, where we be properly protected? Now, I know it is a big decision. We grew up here, Junpei, Hana. Our memories, our friends, they are all here. But…”

  “… Aki and Eri are in Tokyo.” Mom finished. “Besides, it’s not like we’ll be leaving forever, is it? Perhaps when Ai gets as strong as Aki, we won’t o worry?” she winked, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.

  “Sure, I was the sporty one in the family, but keeping up with bro? Dream ohe hero of Britain. Shaeu messaged me to say he’s likely going to be knighted! you believe it? She also said we’d be io the ceremony, so we had to visit Tokyo to go shopping for dresses and accessories anyway mom…” I wasn’t even sure of what I was saying, but the thought of being in Bugham Pace, seeing my bro, Shaeu and the others being rewarded in front of the world was enough to give me goosebumps. “… no, that’s not important now. Seriously, my bro, he’s on another level. But… if I was in Tokyo, I could train with him, help him… uh, wait, what about school? And my exams?”

  “Studying is important.” Dad admitted. “Your teachers tell me you have knuckled down and yrades have shot up. I am fident you pass the exam for any uy of your choiow.”

  Wow, praise from dad. I know how bro feels now. Dad’s soft on me sure, but he still doesn’t praise me often. “Yeah, though it’s not like it’s all my own efforts dad. Skills and Csses are great, they aren’t just for battle. But… I’ll be ho. I miss Eri a lot. Rika- and Yae-, the girls on the volleyball team, my juniors in kyūdō, they’re all great and my friends, but they don’t repce Eri. We’re sisters, even before she went and won over my bro. As for my bro… yeah, I miss him too, all right? I’ve bee greedy, ever since he came back to Nishimorioka. Our retionship is eveer than before. We’re finally ho. I miss Shaeu too, and I’ll be surrounded by my bro’s girls, so… I don’t know what I’m trying to say…” I finished mely, flushing.

  “I do.” Mom said fondly. “You want to move, right? The school will allow remote w, just like for Eri. And you always ute any days you feel like going in. Fukumoto-san arrange a helicopter to take you there and back. How det.” Mom giggled again, flushed, and I realised she’d sneaked a few swigs of the whiskey. Wow, a shame bro and Shaeu aren’t here. My Ether Healing isn’t anywhere near good enough to work on others yet…

  “Fukumoto-san?” grandpa asked.

  “He’s Fukumoto Kenji-san, the owner of Nichibotsu Teology, and also grandfather of Hinata-san, who is one of my son’s many fiancées.” Dad said, a touch exasperated. “He has also proposed this as our new home…” he brought out his phone and opened an email. I caught a glimpse of it, and my eyes went wide.

  Wow, really? My own pho, I quickly ran my own searches, jaw dropping. “We afford that?”

  “Not us, even with the money my son has given us. We would not even be close.” Dad exged a guilty gh uncle, but I was too excited to care. “Our son , though, and apparently the rid powerful are falling over themselves to i in him now he is famous, not even asking for anything iurn, although if my son is enough of an idiot to believe that, then I will have to smae seo him.”

  “You’ll break your hand, Taichi.” Uncle snorted. “Don’t we already know that? Even if he was such a fool, with shrewd, successful businessmen as his allies, no, his family… ugh, I ’t believe how I’ve accepted that too… all his bases will be covered.”

  “It’s not just that house, or should we call it a mansion?” mom giggled. “There’s aner mansion across the hillside, as well as several smaller houses. The pn is to buy them all up and vert it into a massive, fortified estate iral Tokyo, only a few kilometres from Shibuya and the heart of Tokyo. There’ll be room for a helipad, garages…” mom was looking dreamily at the picture. “… it’s not too far to the shrine as well, so Aki do his work. Apparently nobody has broached it with him, but do you think he won’t want to move to be with his family? His mansion will be big enough for all his fiancées as well.”

  “It would be a safe, secure pce to live. As for the shame of living off our children’s efforts, perhaps we work for him? Who better to trust than family.” Dad said, but I was barely listening, marvelling over the pictures. The surrounding area is pretty and full of homes for the wealthy… wait, we have views out over Tokyo bay? I couldn’t help but be excited.

  “I think we’ve lost Ai.” Mom said, as I scrolled through more images of the proposed house, with a basement swimming pool, a games room, balies and more.

  “I uand that you might not wish to live in Japan forever, father-in-w, mother-in-w.” Dad was saying. “But for now, it has been too long, catch up with your daughter and yrandchildren. Take some weight off my son’s mind.”

  “You too, mother, father.” Auntie was saying. “Move to Tokyo with us, little Aki will work his magi your health, and you enjoy your twilight years in fort, watg yreat-grandchildren grow up.”

  “I’m hardly so old, Hana.” Her father said, sniffing. “If you are moving away, we would surely have to go too. Haruyo would never manage on her own.”

  “All that remains is persuading our son.” Dad said, and that snapped me out of my gleeful thoughts.

  “Yeah, he’s ied a lot into Shirohebizumi shrine. His pce there is quite nice, holy, and the training school is plush. Even living there would be fine for us, you know?”

  “Apparently it is a poor position to defend if the worst should happen. While extensive work could make it secure, apparently it is far better, and far more being for someone of Akio’s status…” no wonder dad said that with such a to was still hard to believe my otaku, hopeless bro was a man the world was watg, talking to and bossing around important people as though they were nothing special. “… to live where the rid powerful do.”

  “So, sold, Ai dear?” mom asked, and I nodded.

  “Yeah, like I said, I miss Eri, bro and the others. But it’ll be sad to leave, even if it’s only a few months earlier than I pnned.” I’ll have to do something about Yae- and Rika-. If they try and train alohey’ll get greedy and screw up. If they get hurt, bro wouldn’t like it… “… and more importantly, it means I actually help him out! I’ll persuade him, don’t worry. You think he say no to me?”

  “No, you’ve got him uhe thumb as always, Ai.” Mom said drunkenly, before hiccupping. Dad looked at her, exasperated, before shaking his head.

  “I suppose this does call for a celebration. So, is everyone in agreement?”

  As everyone nodded, I caught a glimpse of more details on my dad’s phone, about extensive building work digging out most of the hill uhe houses. Wow, looks difficult and expensive. I wonder what it’s for? Well, who cares? Now, how will I vince my bro?

  “Hello, Fukumoto-san? Yes, sorry to bother you, but we have reached our decision. We would like you to proceed. I see. Yes. That is no problem. Pass on my thanks to yranddaughter as well, for looking after my unworthy son. Yes. I see…”

  While dad wasn’t looking, I poured myself a gss of booze, taking a swig. Yeah, that hits the spot. Goodbye Nishimorioka, hello Tokyo! I’m going to be a city girl, just like everyone here dreams of. They’ll all be so jealous, especially Yae-… sadly, against her oppos, she es up rather g… though, never say never, right? I ughed and took another swig. In that case, I might as well think about what I o sort out before leaving, and how to break the o my friends here… poor Nishimorioka, losing Eri first, thehe average quality of the girls in town has taken a nosedive…

  ShipTeaser