In the brief moment she had closed her eyes, Ioriâs own had fallen to the sand, steeling himself for anything to come next. In retrospect, this was simpleâcarry on duties, observe, and act accordingly⌠why it made him nervous, he wasnât quite sure.
Eyes met again, and he made a practiced turn out of her way, allowing her to move forward. The toe of his shoe lifted to follow, only to hesitate for a moment.
âŚHe supposed the relieved exhale may have given too much away.
âThank you, my lady.â
Iâm glad you approve, went unsaidâat least, verbally. But the lightness in both his tone and step proved otherwise.
For a makeshift laboratory in the guise of a clothing store, the place didnât seem as cold as its counterpart at Honnouji. The space was smaller, and a few elements of comfort peppered the place. Clearly, this served as both a work and a living space, modest in style, with everything neat and tidy. It seemed the only pricier items in this part of the lab was the tea set, to which Iori prepared accordingly.
One of the computer stations was set in the familiar configuration of one former information chair, who seemed absent at the moment.
Though the same variety and similar technique, the tea Iori prepared seemed a bit brighter and less matured than Soroi usually made. As she sat, he continued, standing as etiquette required in the presence of her rank.
âŚReally, it looked like he was just imitating her butler.
âAt present, Iâm only aware of myself and Inumuta on this island. We both come from a different point in time than you doâfurther, Iâm willing to guess, if you still don Junketsu. From both of our experiences in the past, time seems to stall where you came from. Of course, the rules of the island may be different than that of the previous city.â
With a few taps on his phone, a screen appeared above a table, showing a vast array of files on the research the to had conducted.
âYouâll notice the use of your Kamui will be limited here for a while, and your weapons may not return to you until youâve passed whatever arbitrary criteria our captors have chosen as a benchmark to regain your abilities. Outside threats seem to occur every few months or so, from what weâve observed. More on those later.â
Directing his attention to her again, he handed her the device, information at her disposal.
âAny questions I can immediately address, Lady Satsuki?â
The information he presented was... mildly unsettling, to say the least. Even having been involved in something as unbelievable as dealing with Life Fibers, the thought that people could be so easily taken from their homes, and from different time periods, no less, presented a mountain of possibilities, most of them being too unpleasant to want to entertain. Still, she sat calmly through Shirouâs overview of the situation, her eyes narrowing only slightly as the information processed in her mind.
Given what he said, she would have to be prepared for very nearly anything, including her mother rearing her head again, possibly in a far better position than where sheâd been left. Being down so many of her Elites presented another problem, but she found herself concerned with another facet of that hangup.Â
Gazing down into the tea sheâd been given with such a youthful taste to it, she had to admit to herself she worried for them. Though all of them had sworn to lay down their lives for the cause, they were more than mere soldiers. She realized that now. Looking up from her cup, she noticed Shirou looking at her expectantly.
â...you mentioned a previous city. How long have you been subjected to life in this city and the last?â