Miho Chan
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Chapter 34: Family Reunion
🕑 Added 2024-08-01 23:25:24 +0000 UTCShirou gave a quiet sigh of relief as they came up to the Hearthome City limits, shifting his backpack around as the party finished the long trek over and through Mount Coronet. Oblivious to the actual reason for his relief, Isabella chuckled. “Yeah, it’s always nice to get back to civilization after a long trek. Though I gotta say your meals make it a lot nicer to camp out.”
“Mhm,” Illya hummed, looking at her brother with measured suspicion. “You’ve been oddly quiet for a while, Shirou. And you don’t usually sigh when we reach cities.”
“Well…” Shirou chuckled. “You’re very observant, onee-san,” he said. “Have you been tracking the number of days since we arrived in this world?”
“...no?” Illya said after a few moments. “I haven’t. It’s been longer than a month, but I don’t think it’s been a full hundred days, so it’s not the anniversary of our arrival.” She paused. “Though that’d be worth celebrating.”
“Mm. We left our world in mind-september, and arrived here in late spring. And I don’t know if you’ve been keeping track, but we’re coming up on your birthday.” He pulled out his phone and sent a text. “Today, in fact.”
Blinking, Illya made a small “o” with her mouth before whipping out her phone, gawking at the message within, “Papa’s arranged things so that he can spend the day with us?” She squeed, visibly restraining her excitement in a poor effort to appear at least somewhat dignified.
“He did. He should be here–” A loop of gold spun into existence, a black-suited form dropping through to land gracefully on his feet. The hoop then shifted to one side, lowered significantly, and deposited a woman with red hair and a much more casual form of dress. “-right now.”
“Hoopa is pleased to help with travel! Hoopa will also help back, if Hoopa is provided with cake!” The mythical Pokemon waved through the hoop before vanishing back into the aether. “Bye!”
Kiritsugu Emiya had a lot he wanted to say, and a lot he wanted to do. But actually being within yards of his daughter for the first time in years prompted an entirely unscripted response, and within moments the ex-assassin had folded his daughter into a hug, which the little albino returned with crushing force.
After a few, long moments, the two separated slightly to look each other over. Illya sniffed. “...you look a lot smaller than I remember,” she said weakly, something inside her clenching even as she luxuriated in his presence.
“...it’s been four years. You’re growing so fast,” Kiritsugu responded quietly. “More like your mother every day, and I’ve not been there to see it. I’m sorry.” His voice was throaty, the man keeping it from quivering as he took his daughter in.
Opting not to respond, Illya simply tightened her embrace around the man that she had held complicated feelings towards for so long, basking in his presence. With him here, and knowing so much more than she did before, the old bitterness had long since faded away like dust on the wind, and all that had been left behind was the simple need to be family again.
After a few minutes, there was a firm trill from one side. The two disentangled themselves, finding two fairy types in a tense standoff; Matilda glaring at Amelie with lidded eyes. Shirou coughed. “Old man–”
Kiritsugu cut Shirou’s speech off with a second hug, wrapping his son in his arms. “I’m glad you’re getting along with your sister,” he said simply after a few moments, releasing the redhead with a smile. He then turned to the two fairies, who were now being watched by the two other Eeveelutions and a few members of both teams. “Now, what’s going on?”
Amelie sighed. “Well, your daughter’s partner has a bone to pick with you. Or at least, she has a little grudge about Illya, and she wants to make her displeasure known.” Amelie tapped her foot. “I can’t say I’m entirely opposed, but this isn’t the time. Remotely.”
“Indeed. And my grudge is admittedly not at all rational, so it can be settled later,” Matilda acknowledged with a huff, tossing her head to the side as she turned back towards her trainer. “Before you say anything, my lady, it is entirely because it is not rational that I cannot let it go easily. I will resolve it at some point.”
“...I get it,” Illya said after half a moment’s thought. “There’s a lot tangled up in all this. And we’ll talk about it, make some promises, maybe have our team smash his…” She looked across at the gathered Pokemon. “After full introductions.”
Half an hour and a lot of meetings later, the five humans and their partners wandered their way into Hearthome proper, Kiritsugu explaining his circumstances. “...the whole incident over in Unova, Looker had to divert the teams he was sending to Kalos for a week. We’ll need to be back before that, but we have five days until we need to call Hoopa to take us home.” He smiled at his kids. “At the very least, I’ll be here to see your gym battles.”
Eyes sparkling in delight, Illya nodded, “We already have them scheduled; which is how I assume you knew that you’d be able to stay.” At her father’s nod, she grinned. “I’m glad, papa. It’ll be fun to have you watching.”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve done a gym battle,” Elle mused as they made their way in-town. “I might be able to give some training hints, myself.” She looked down at her map, frowning. “Kerry, we’re moving away from the Pokemon Center and the hotels.”
“I rented a house for the week,” The ex-assassin replied. “More privacy, more space–”
“-built in kitchen for your son to cook…” Isabella cut in, eyebrows wagging.
“I don’t mind,” Shirou said evenly. “Though not tonight, I don’t think.”
“No, tonight, we’re eating out. Illya, do you have any preferences? The League and Interpol are paying me very well, so price is no object.” Kiritsugu offered.
Humming in consideration, Illya shook her head, “Not really, no. A nice place would be good, though you’ll have to give all three of us and our Pokemon some time to prepare, since we’ve been on the road for a while. All of us need to take a good shower or bath and then make ourselves presentable.”
“Of course.” Kiritsugu said as they arrived at a small brownstone building, Kiritsugu produced his device and scanned it at the door. As the lock clicked open, he swung the portal open. “You three get washed up, and we’ll find a place to eat tonight.””
As the kids spilled into the house and began divesting themselves of baggage, Kiritsugu looked at Elle with a pleading look. “...you’ve never been here, have you?” As she shook her head, he sighed. “Please help me search the network, I’m still terrible at it.” He got a quiet laugh in response.
--(0)--
Any person undergoing the shift from Earth to Garde would be in for serious culture shock, even if they were familiar with the Pokemon world. Having Pokemon everywhere would be the most obvious issue, but many smaller things are different in their own way. And to an American, the most egregious difference would be the massive spike in the price of meat relative to other ingredients.
For Kiritsugu to decide upon a Yakiniku restaurant… Well, it was obvious to all the passers-by that this was a special occasion. Especially since he’d shelled out for the Human and Pokemon option.
Fafnir grinned as she laid a prime cut onto the grill just long enough to sear before tossing it in her mouth. “I always knew there was a reason the gods allowed humans such prominence. This is one of them,” she said happily.
Shirou smiled as he laid out some of the thin cuts on the grill, basting it just a little in sauce as they were laid on the heat. “Sorry we can’t get you hamburger steak, dad.”
Kiritsugu smiled, biting into his own meat with relish. “I’m just glad to have your cooking– and company- again, Shirou.” He sighed as he took another bite, swallowing slowly. “This is as close to what I wanted as I could have dreamed of, after the fire.”
Illya took a sip of her soup, setting down her bowl. “I’m glad you’re here too. Is there any way you could just… stay?” She asked quietly.
“I could.” Kiritsugu answered, “But I will not.” Holding his hand up to forestall his daughter and son’s protests, he continued, “I’m already known in the underworld, and I’ve risked you both significantly by coming here; if it wasn’t for the fact that Lady Akari put up a bounty on anyone willing to take a crack at both of you, I wouldn’t have risked it. Even putting your safety aside, I’m unwilling to abandon the cause that Irisviel was willing- wanted to die for.”
“Peace and justice,” Shirou said evenly.
“Indeed.” Kiritsugu sighed. “Flare is willing to go to extreme lengths to secure their hold on Kalos. I’m not going to go questing for more fights, but I’m not going to leave until we handle this one.” He pursed his lips. “I suspect their goals would be intolerable to all of us, really.”
“Your father is wise, young one. And if he had not helped us, we would still be suffering.” Braixen chimed in from where she was turning small chunks of fowl on her own grill. “I’m sure you’ve spoken to Feebas about her own time in captivity. And we are, unfortunately, the least of their crimes.”
"llya hissed through her teeth. “I don’t like it. But… come home, dad. Stay alive. Mom died for this dream of yours; don’t have it cost me you both. Please?”
“Of course.” Kiritsugu smiled, then let it drop. “Speaking of homes, Illya, Shirou, do you have any idea how to get back to Earth? I was… not well when we were pulled through, and I was wondering if either of you had any idea.”
Looking at each other, the younger of the pair spoke first. “We believe that once we do what Arceus wanted us to do, we’ll be sent home to resolve our unfinished matters back there. After that, I hope they’ll let us back, because I think I’d prefer to stay here, quite honestly.”
“There are certainly perks for staying. And I don’t think I want Amelie exposed to the Clock Tower any time soon,” Kiritsugu admitted. “Do you have any idea what Arceus might have wanted, then?”
Shirou shook his head. “No. But it’s the best idea we have, and the few people we’ve chatted with agree that it’s a perfectly reasonable; and even likely, theory.”
“Hmm. Seems like he gave me a job, and gave you a second chance at childhood,” Elle interjected. “I can’t speak for myself, but most Journeys are about self-discovery and growth. You’ve been doing fairly well on that front.”
Illya paused. “Now that you mention it, I have a question. Miss Elle, you told papa you’ve been fighting Cipher since you were young. But when Shirou and I looked into it, Orre’s Cipher was undone by a traitor the first time, and a young lab trainer the second. I didn’t see your name.”
Emmanuelle sighed, setting down her chopsticks. “I’m guessing you saw that the second time Cipher made a comeback, it was thwarted by a boy named Michael?” At Illya’s nod, the redhead leaned back in her chair, eyes closing. “Yeah. That was me.”
“Oh.” Illya blinked twice. “Umm… wait, how does that work?”
Kiritsugu sucked in a breath. “Illya–”
“Wait, is it like Ritsuka? I think I remember something about that…” Illya muttered, even as the Wyrmeon looked up from his meat bowl. “Transgender, where their gender isn’t the same as the biological sex they were born with?”
“...yes, actually,” Elle said simply, her eyes opening. “It was a couple years later, and the fame was… kind of grating, actually. I’d known I wasn’t a normal boy for a while, but it took meeting some people outside of Orre to put a name to who I really was.” She sighed. “My mom wasn’t too mad, more like she just didn’t understand. But my little sister had a massive snit, and after a massive argument, I was told to leave the lab until I apologized. Fat fucking chance.” She clenched her fist, only releasing it after Haboo set one paw on her leg. “I keep in touch with my mom, if distantly, but I haven’t talked to Jovi or the lab in ages. I was glad to cut ties, get space and anonymity. I miss some of the people from back then, but I’m much happier now than I ever was before.”
“Please pass on that I’m sorry about her sister,” Ritsuka said quietly to Shirou. “And Matilda? Despite your exasperation at times, I am very glad to have you as a sister.”
“Likewise, sib.” The Sylveon’s tendrils were lashing. “Hmm. No, it’d be too much trouble to go all the way to Orre for a curse, but maybe if we end up nearby…”
Shirou sighed. “No, Matilda, no cursing.”
“Spoilsport.”
Bopping her Sylveon on the head, Ilya shook her head, “Not our place. Besides, I’m fairly sure Ms. Elle is more than capable of dishing out any punishment her sister required if she felt the need to do so.”
Kiritsugu chuckled. “Well, Elle, I’m glad to know the current you, and I don’t have any problems with your past.” He considered, for a moment, asking how comprehensive transition was in Garde, before deciding that it was not a tangent which needed to happen at dinner. “So, Illya; I’ll be honest, I couldn’t decide on what kind of gift to give you. Is there anything in particular you might want? Black market and foreign products are possible,” he said glibly.
“Honestly, I just want time with you, papa.” She reached down and lifted up her fish. “Also, I think this one counts, doesn’t she?”
“Thank you again for gifting me to your daughter,” Feebas burbled. “She is an excellent trainer.”
Hearing the translation from Amelie, Kiritsugu smiled. “I’m glad you appreciate her.” He said simply. “I’d be happy to spend a day or two with you, although–”
“If you’re worried for my sake, don’t be.” Shirou interjected. “If that’s her birthday gift, I’ll just spend the day shopping and training. So long as you do the same on mine.”
“That wasn’t what I was worried about, since I doubt Illya wants complete alone time with me.” Kiritsugu waved his youngest’s concerns off. “Besides,” he continued, gauging his daughter’s reaction and finding it more than acceptable, “Simply spending time with my daughter isn’t enough of a gift, so I’ll need to spend some time with my son to figure out a suitable one before our week is up.”
Shriou looked down, a small smile breaking out. “I’d like that.” He sniffed, then hurriedly looked up and flipped the meat he’d put on the grill. “Whoops, almost too long.”
Elle looked over at Isabella. “Going to be bored this week?”
“Nah, I should probably contact the clan and start setting up some lodging. We’re heading south soon, and after Pastoria, we’ll be heading into my home country.” She gave a wry grin. “Not like we couldn’t just walk in, but better to make everything solid. Plus, I could use a week to myself, you know?”
“I understand,” Elle nodded.
The night went long, but the birthday girl had a wonderful time. And that evening, just for one night, a little girl fell asleep on her father’s back, just as she’d been carried years before.
--(0)--
Illya adjusted the hem of her kimono, looking up at the temple gate with a frown. “Papa… do you think mama’s watching?” She asked as the father and daughter duo walked towards the shrine, the dark banners marked with a three-pronged symbol fluttering in the breeze. The two were both dressed in remembrance, white robes matching both the colors of mourning and Irisiviel’s own colors, their first partners following along behind. Amelie and Matilda had come to an accord earlier in the day; some agreement passed between them which no one else was privy to.
“Hmmm.” Kiritsugu hummed, before shaking his head. “I don’t know. If our understanding of how our universe works is correct, she is likely not,” he acknowledged. “But, I think as long as we both remember her, she’ll always be with us in some way.”
“Yeah…” Illya smiled sadly as they walked up the stone path, passing under the torii gate and into the temple. Lining the walls were small alcoves, bronze pots holding fine sand awaiting incense. “Do you think there’s something here?”
“There might be. But even if there is something beyond death here, your mother passed in our old world.” He reached into his overrobe, removing the box of incense they’d purchased. The white sticks rattled as he plucked a few, planting them in the sand upright, then snapped his fingers to light them. Illya took the box and added a few as well, her own sparks igniting the remains. “There’s no shame in hoping for something greater after death. But that can’t stop us from trying to make a better world in the now,” he said slowly and quietly. “It’s something your mother and I agreed upon.”
“Which is why you fought the war. And why mom… gave herself up.” Illya bowed her head, feeling the ache of tears long shed. “I miss her. More than I did, really.”
“So do I,” Kiritsugu admitted. “She wouldn’t want us to fixate on her, though.”
A lone stick was levitated up to bury itself in the sand. “I think that’s a healthy attitude.” Amelie’s mental voice was gentle and distant. She clapped her hands. “We can’t obsess on death, no more than we can ignore it. That balance is king in Kalos.” She turned one eye towards the crimson banners before shaking her head.
“Indeed. The dead are gone. We, the living, are left behind. It’s why we bear grudges, why we try to convince ourselves what we do is for the departed,” Matilda added, gently grabbing a stick of incense with her feelers and placing it on the floor, a wisp of Mystical Fire igniting the object as she drew away. “But in the end, we do it for ourselves.”
“Yes.” Kiritsugu folded his hands in prayer, Illya joining him. For a few minutes, they let themselves be carried by the quiet and the scent of cherry rising from the sticks burning before them, each of the four lost in their own minds. As the man finally opened his eyes, he instinctively drew his daughter into a hug. “For the living. Illya, if you do seek revenge– well, I think you’re wise enough to have a plan afterwards to live.”
“I’ll live, Papa.” Illya said quietly, opening her own eyes. After a few moments, she paused, looking around, her voice rising slightly. “I’d have thought there’d be some other people here.” She said finally, putting a finger on the thought she’d had percolating through her brain.
“The shrine’s been blessed for privacy. Other people aren’t… apparent, I think,” Matilda observed. “They’re here, but it’s behind a curtain.” For an instant, the group could see vague outlines of other mourners at different parts of the shrine, before they faded back into the background.
“Thoughtful of them. Do you want to stay longer, or move on?” Kiritsugu asked Illya.
After a few more moments of quiet contemplation, the girl nodded. “I think we should move on.”
Kiritsugu nodded, turning to leave, his hand sliding down to grip his daughter’s own. No more words were spoken as the family left the shrine, leaving behind the burning incense; a memorial for their missing third.
--(0)--
Shirou raised one arm, bracing it against the strike leveled against him. His opponent, larger and stronger by far, followed up with a quick bash to the ribs and a fast rabbit punch to his face, only for Shirou to use the momentum of the torso shot to fall and roll backwards. Within seconds, the young man had rebounded off the ground and smashed a blow of his own into his opponent’s torso, leaving him gasping.
Yagi took notes. “You know, I’d have expected an assassin to be unable to keep up with an Aura user. I always thought of them as preferring ambushes and speed.” He remarked to Frogadier, the young water type watching the spar with both teams of Pokemon arrayed around them.
Frogadier shrugged. “Sir is not an expert in fighting at melee, but he is practiced and capable. Ultimately, he does rely more on tools and weapons than brute force. Less samurai, more ninja,” they said evenly. Do you disapprove?”
“Not really? We all use different methods to fight, and his works for him.” Yagi replied, making a note of the pattern in which Kiritsugu used his magic to speed up his body; something like agility, perhaps? “There are some fighting types who hate ghosts or psychics as cheaters, but I never understood that mindset. Guts and will over all, of course,” Yagi flexed, corded muscles standing out through his fur. “But how you use those guts is most important. Youth comes in many ways.”
“Indeed. Youth?” Frogadier asked as Kiritsugu finally pinned his son.
“Vital energy, spirit indomitable in the face of challenges. Youth!” Yagi yipped, springing upright. “Well done, Mr. Emiya! I learned a lot by watching you!” The Riolu cheered, pumping one paw as the man helped his son to his feet.
“Thank you, Yagi. I’ve had a lot of practice, though I much prefer keeping my range open from my foes,” Kiritsugu answered with a crinkled eye and honest smile, “Would you like your critique now, Shirou, or would you like to guess what you did wrong first?”
“I think I’ve gotten too used to using a weapon in my fights,” Shirou said after a moment’s thought. “I don’t know how to deal with someone whose longer reach I can’t match, and I didn’t go for crippling moves when I did get close enough to hit.” He paused, scratching the back of his head. “I think that’s right, but I know I’m missing something.”
Kiritsugu nodded. “You’re doing very well for technical skills, but you’re not using reinforcement quite right. You need to learn to reinforce your entire body. Everything in it. Reinforcement improves the very concept of everything you’re reinforcing, and if you forget to reinforce even a single part the entire thing will suffer for it.”
“I suppose Illya doesn’t know enough reinforcement to teach me that?” Shirou asked.
“Yes. It’s not common knowledge, and I didn’t teach you about it before. Along with a lot of other things.” Kiritsugu ran his hands through his hair. “I think I owe you an apology. Half-teaching you like I was doing… Illya was incensed when she found out.”
Shirou nodded slightly. “I think I get why you were trying to stop me, dad. And I really did just want magic because it seemed cool at first.” He set his jaw. “But… yeah, you should’ve either not taught me, or taken it seriously. No half measures,” he said firmly.
“Understood.” Kiritsugu paused. “Shirou, does it bother you at all, what I used to do?” He held up a hand, forestalling a fast response. “I’m not asking if you love me despite it; I know you do.” He said it matter of factly, and Shirou nodded in agreement. “I’m asking because there are some aspects of my skills which I won’t teach until you’re older, and even then only if you’re resolved to take lives.”
“I think there are better ways,” Shirou said after a few moments thought. “Not that I hate what you did, dad. You did the best you could, with the skills you had. But I don’t think I want to walk the same path, and I don’t need everything you needed.” He looked his father in the eyes. “But I still need to learn the basics, because there are some enemies you have to kill.”
“Like that ghost?”
Shioru nodded resolutely. “Like Spiritomb, yeah.”
Kiritsugu nodded, then turned and returned to the other side of their impromptu arena. “Alright, a few more rounds?” He looked over to one side. “Maybe with our partners? Teamwork is something I’m still learning, but we could learn together.”
Shirou nodded, moving back to his own starting position. “Ready, old man.”
