Chapter 4: Fem-Shirou(4)

"Should I feel safe now?" That was Shido thought as he sat at the head of the dining table, his untouched breakfast plate in front of him. Nervously, he glanced around, trying his best not to make eye contact with any of the girls gathered at the table. To his right, Kotori sat, seemingly the only one at ease, sipping her tea casually as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. On his left were the three spirits, Tohka, Kaguya, and Yozuru. "Mmm~~ This is delicious!" Tohka exclaimed in pleasure as she took another bite of her breakfast. "HiHI! Yozuru, you have to try this omelet; it's really good!" Kaguya chimed in, her mouth full of food. "Agreement, you can also try my Ohitashi (boiled vegetables) in return, Kaguya," Yozuru replied. Shido couldn't help but feel a bit relieved by their positive responses. Maybe this breakfast wouldn't turn into a disaster after all. Their attention seemed to be focused more on their food than on the newcomer, Shirou. Turning his gaze toward the other spirits, he saw Nia, who had overindulged in alcohol that morning, dozing at the table. Her head rested on her folded arms, and she had a playful smile on her face. Origami, as usual, ate her breakfast in silence, seemingly uninterested in the recent developments. As for Miku and Shirou... "Bwahhhh~~ She's sooooo cuteeeeeeee! HeHe~~ She's so fluffy and cute." Shido couldn't help but glance toward Miku's overt affection for Shirou. Miku was caressing Shirou on her lap, at times hugging her tightly and then nuzzling her cheeks with a sultry look and a drooling mouth. He could see Shirou was fighting to reach her breakfast with her small hands, a cute sight, to be sure. However, he was also confused about why Shirou hadn't hit Miku yet, unlike Natsumi or Kotori, who usually responded with their fists when Miku attempted similar antics. It didn't take him long to make eye contact with Shirou, she was silent but he couldn't ignore the pleading look in her eyes, like that of a little cat silently asking for help. He felt a sense of responsibility for bringing her into this chaotic situation. Clearing his throat nervously, Shido turned his attention to Miku, who was still smothering Shirou with affection, "Um, Miku, can we give Shirou some space to eat her breakfast?" Miku paused for a moment, her gaze shifting from Shirou to Shido. Her expression was a mix of sultriness and disappointment. "Oh, Shido, are you jealous? You want to take her place?" Shido's face flushed a shade of crimson. "N-No, it's not that... I just think she should have some space to eat." "You're such a joy killer, Da~rling~~ But fine, I'll stop for now." Shido let out a sigh of relief, grateful that Miku had taken his request seriously. But just as he thought the situation might be resolved, "However, I won't stop until Tohka gives up her seat next to you." Miku added Tohka, who had been enjoying her breakfast without paying much attention to the ongoing drama, suddenly perked up at Miku's words. She looked at Miku with absolute denial in her eyes. "What? Why should I give up my seat? I was here first!" "Dont care, I am making a deal here," she declared triumphantly, firmly holding onto Shirou as if her life depended on it. "Shido!! You wouldn't do that to me, right? RIGHT!??" The spirit brought her face closer to Shidou to Plead with him. Her eyes pleading, her voice trembling. "Well..." He raised both hands in surrender, a wry smile on his face, "You just want to sit beside me right, Miku" He shifted his gaze toward Miku, who responded with a nod. "Well, that would work for me, Darling~" Miku purred as she continued to nuzzle her cheeks against Shirou. "Then..." Shido turned his gaze towards his sister, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. Kotori, however, didn't even bother to look at her brother's face as she sipped her tea. "Dont even think about it...Brother" "E-eerrr......" He was left speechless. Part 2: "Again, you really should rest a little, you're supposed to be my guest here, Shirou-san" "I can't leave Master doing something that I am better than him at" "How can you say something like that with this confidence" "I only spread facts. Master" After a tense breakfast that had brought a headshot of the blue-haired boy, the Itsuka residence was now bustling with activity. Dishes were being cleared from the dining table, and the kitchen had become the hub of dishwashing duty. Shido, as the gentleman of the house, had initially taken it upon himself to clean up the mess. However, he soon found himself joined by the magical girl, Shirou, the newest addition to their unique household, who had insisted on lending a hand. She was smiling in satisfaction as she deftly scrubbed plates and wiped down counters. Kotori, Shido's younger sister, and commander of the airship Fraxinus, had excused herself earlier, mentioning that she had a few matters to attend to on the ship. Miku, the idol spirit with her distinct vocal talents, had received an urgent call from her business manager regarding her upcoming performance. With tearful eyes, she had tried to persuade Shirou for a goodbye kiss on the cheek, but the magical girl had politely declined, causing Miku's heart to flutter in disappointment. Tohka, known for her love of food, hadn't felt entirely satisfied by breakfast, and so, she had decided to venture out to get some kinako bread. Origami, followed after her by a request from shido. In Natsumi's room, Natsumi, Yoshino, and Shirou's magical wand, Ruby, had gathered for what seemed like an impromptu magical wand inspection. They were clearly intrigued by the enchanted wand's abilities and were eager to understand more about it. Nia, the enigmatic spirit with a penchant for alcohol, had overindulged during breakfast. She now dozed at the dining table, her head resting on her folded arms. Despite the alcohol haze, a playful smile lingered on her face. Meanwhile, in a corner of the room, Kaguya and Yozuru were locked in a fierce battle 1V1 in a game of CS: GO, their competitive spirits pitted against each other in virtual combat. "Say..." After a brief silence, marked only by the sound of running water from the open faucet, Shido decided to share his thoughts. "Hmmm?" Shirou responded with just a soft "hmm" while continuing her dishwashing duties. "Why do you keep faking your smile like that?" His voice was soft, almost a whisper, meant only for Shirou to hear. Her hands paused for a moment, and then she resumed washing as if nothing had happened. "...I don't know what you're talking about, Master." She maintained her gentle facade, not giving away any emotions, nor did she glance in his direction. "I see... Can I ask you another question?" Shido's questions seemed to be probing, but he kept his voice equally hushed as they carried on with their chores. They didn't exchange glances; both of them remained focused on the task at hand. "Unlike all the other girls at the dinner table when we were having breakfast, you gave Tohka a different glance, one of nostalgia if I'm not mistaken." "You have good eyes, Master." "I don't want to be a pry, but I can tell your eyes held a hint of pain. What's the matter, Shirou?" Shirou didn't respond immediately. She continued to scrub the dish in her hands, but her movements seemed to slow as if each scrape of the sponge was a meditation in itself. Finally, Shirou set the dish down and sighed, "Tohka-san just reminded me of someone that all, You don't have to worry much, Master" In response, Shido's hand briefly faltered and then resumed its meticulous task. The sound of his breath matched the rhythm of the water streaming from the faucet. He was searching for a way to bridge the gap, to understand the source of Shirou's unease. He was searching for the right words, but there was no need for that, as Shirou had finished cleaning the last dish in her part. "If you'll excuse me, Master. I'll be outside the house, taking some fresh air. If you need something, just call me." "Ah, y-yes. Thank you for your hard work." He watched her in silence as she closed the living room door behind her. Not long after, he noticed the other girls in the room glancing at him, giving him eyes that seemed to say, 'What did you do to make her angry?' He just sighed in response and returned to finish his part of the dishes. Part 3: Under the cover of night, the sky had transformed into a rich tapestry of deep, twilight hues. Stars twinkled like scattered gemstones amidst the velvety canvas. Shirou found herself perched on the rooftop of the Itsuka residence, her vantage point offering a unique perspective on the world below. The neighborhood, so typical in its daytime appearance, had been cloaked in a shroud of darkness. Ordinary houses stood like sentinels, each with its own stories hidden behind those walls. From her spot on the roof, Shirou could hear the faint whispers of the night breeze as it rustled through the leaves of nearby trees. The moon, a pale, silvery crescent, added a touch of ethereal beauty to the scene. Amid this suburban quietude, Shirou's thoughts wandered freely, her eyes tracing constellations above. She wasn't aware of the prying eyes higher above the dark cloud of the night, from Fraxinus. "You're here, Brother" "I still have to make dinner, Kotori, what the matter calling me now" Shido stood there, cracking his back from the long day of dealing with various spirit-related issues. Especially with him trying his best to make Mukuru forgive him for what happened that morning. The fatigue weighed on him, evident in the weariness etched across his face. As he was about to head down to rest or rather make dinner then tried to make an excuse to not get dry by the girls. But as he thought so, his eyes were drawn toward the ship's main screen. The main screen casts a bluish glow over the empty place and he can see who is on the screen - Shirou, The magical girl spirit. He turned his gaze toward Kotori. Amid the dimly lit cockpit, she sat accentuating her focused expression as she watched Shirou. She seemed to be studying the young woman with an anxiety experience. "She not a normal girl, shido..." Confused, Shido tilted his head and asked, "Can you give me more context?" Kotori, with a worried look on her face, typed a few commands into the control panel. Within moments, an electroencephalogram (EEG) of Shirou's brain activity appeared on the main screen. The EEG displayed a series of waveforms that represented the electrical activity in Shirou's brain. The room was filled with a soft hum as the ship's systems analyzed the data. Shido watched with curiosity as he tried to make sense of what was happening. Kotori began to explain the reason for her concern. "Shido, look at her brain activity," she said, pointing to the EEG. "It's as if she's in a state of deep sleep, even though she's awake. Her brain waves are incredibly low. In a normal person, these patterns would indicate a deep slumber, but she's fully conscious." Shido frowned, his concern growing. "Is there something wrong with her brain?" Kotori nodded. "That's what worries me. All of her emotions are neutral to the point where a human can't be in such a state. It's as if she's a machine or a puppet." Shido considered this for a moment. "Could it be some side effect of her powers as a spirit?" Kotori shook her head. "I don't think so. Spirits often have heightened emotional states, but her emotions are consistently neutral, except for one thing." She pointed to a spike in the EEG graph. "See this? Her brain activity suddenly increased when she was helping you in the kitchen. It's as if her emotions are awakened only when she's assisting others. But as soon as she's not, her brain activity drops to this low state. It's like her emotions are tied to helping people." Shido frowned, trying to grasp the significance of what he was hearing. "So, you're saying that her emotions are only active when she's helping others? But when she's not, it's like she's emotionally shut down?" Kotori nodded. "I don't think you realized this, but she followed you the entire day. Even when you were on a date with Mukuru, she kept following you everywhere, from the cinema to the restaurant. I don't want to scare you, but she even followed both of you to the bathroom. She even managed to help a few people during that time. It's not like she helps people out of the goodness of her heart; it's more like she does it to feel something." Shido's gaze remained fixed on the EEG before shifting to the side of the screen, where it showed Shirou sitting silently on the roof of his house. "What is she doing there?" "I've been watching her for an hour now, and she hasn't moved an inch. She didn't even flinch. After you finished your date with Mukuru, for some reason, she decided to return and wait for you to come back. I don't think she'll come down before your return." Shido fell into deep thought, his brows furrowing as he pondered the peculiar circumstances surrounding Shirou. It was apparent that something was truly amiss. He remembered the morning, how easily Shirou had adapted to the situation, her immediate rapport with Kotori, and her eagerness to assist with anything. She had been so good at acting that Shido had started to believe she would be one of the easier spirits to save. Now, in the dimly lit cockpit of the Fraxinus, Kotori's worried explanation gave him a reality check. "I forgot how hard it was for me with each spirit and the fact I fell for this trap once again. I haven't learned anything, have I?" Kotori nodded. "The good thing is she seems to be so attached to you, so you have a chance. The challenge for you is to make her emotions real, not just a product of her 'helping complex'. Make her fall for you shido!" Shido nodded with determination in his eyes. "Yeah, it's time for a date." Extra: Walking through Chaldea's corridors, Ritsuka nodded and waved to each servant he passed by. His mind was lost in deep thought as he struggled to make sense of what had just occurred in the summoning room. Strangely, he wasn't upset about the situation; rather, he was confused and, at the same time, excited. He didn't believe it was an error but something unique, and in the end, he would receive something different. It was a refreshing change of pace. He also received something to keep his mind occupied, rather than dwelling on mysteries like why Red Archer had the largest chest in Chaldea, even surpassing that of Altria. "No wonder he's the 'big mama' of Chaldea," he mumbled to himself with a satisfied nod. Taking a turn, he reached the cafeteria, a place where every servant gathered for lunch at this hour. It was also the place to find someone with the last name 'Emiya.' Ritsuka entered the bustling cafeteria, where the air buzzed with the sounds of various conversations among servants and the clinking of cutlery. He quickly scanned the room, and his eyes fell on the head chef of the place - Emiya Archer, whom everyone simply referred to as the chef. The chef appeared to be fully engrossed in taking orders and simultaneously preparing meals for the many servants in the establishment. As Ritsuka moved further into the cafeteria, he noticed numerous familiar faces scattered throughout the room. The famous King Arthur sat at one table, joined by Okita Souji and Musashi. Contrary to what history books might depict, they were women. On the other side, he spotted Illya, Mio, and Chloe, who were accompanied by Jeanne d'Arc (Lily). Astolfo and Sieg sat together with Gareth, enjoying their meals and in another corner, Cú Chulainn, Romulus-Quirinus, and Leonidas I occupied a table. The room was teeming with even more notable figures, but Ritsuka didn't have time to greet every face. However, he couldn't help but notice that Salter, sitting alone at a table, seemingly dissuading anyone from sitting beside her. Emiya, who was busy preparing meals, noticed Ritsuka's arrival. "Oh, Master. Are you here for lunch? I heard you've summoned a new servant. Where is it?" Ritsuka nodded and then grew serious. "Kinda, Emiya-san. There's something I want to discuss with you." Emiya raised an eyebrow but continued with his tasks. "What is it, Master?" "Well, about the new servant... She has an unusual name, and I wanted to ask if you know anything about her." Emiya continued his work, but his ears were tuned in to Ritsuka's words. "Her? If I know anything, I'll share it. Just ask." Ritsuka proceeded, "She has the same last name as yours. Her name is Emiya Shirou. Do you have any idea who she might be?" The room suddenly fell into dead silence, broken only by the sound of a dish shattering in Emiya's hands. Ritsuka was taken aback by the sudden reaction. "W-What's wrong?" Confusion and a hint of fear filled his voice. He noticed that several of the other servants shared his bewilderment, but most were giving him strange, knowing looks. His eyes met with King Arthur - Artoria Saber, whose face bore an expression of shock. "Hahahaha, I knew he would come! Finally, I can fight him at his peak!" Cú Chulainn was the first to break the silence. He stood up, his legendary spear in hand. "Where is he, Master? I must face him before that golden king lays claim to him!" "I-I have no idea what you're talking about, and what do you mean by 'he'—" "Master." Emiya's voice remained serious as he inquired further, "Is he here, Master?" "N-Not yet. And why do you keep saying 'he'? The gender data indicates a female servant." "Female? What are you talking about, Master? I'm sure he's a man, even though I hate to acknowledge that coward as one." Ritsuka tilted his head in confusion before realization dawned on him. He slapped both his hands together as he understood the source of the misunderstanding. "Oh, I see. It's like how you address female rulers as 'kings' or daughters as 'sons.' Chaldea indeed has some gender issues, doesn't it?" Emiya sighed, realizing the whole story. "It's an Alter version... But it doesn't matter. Where is 'she,' Master?" Ritsuka was thoroughly perplexed. Why was there such chaos over a seemingly unknown legendary figure? He hadn't heard of this person before, and even if they were famous, why would their presence cause such a commotion? The mystery deepened. Before he could utter a word, he found himself surrounded by servants closing in from every direction. There was a certain intensity to their gazes, and he couldn't help but feel that the truth he was about to reveal might lead to unwanted consequences. "Please don't hurt me," He cried for mercy.