Land of the Blades

12. Winter

It has been a couple of weeks after Bort, Shirou, and I formed a team, and things were not going great. Not in respect of battling the Lunarians, that we had it dominated. But after the fights, Shirou and Bort will discuss very enthusiastically about each other performance. It was mostly Bort criticizing every little mistake, but unlike Dia, Shirou didn't hold back on his replies. I had tried to act as a conciliator, but Bort promptly told me to not shut up and stay aside of it.

Speaking of Dia, she has started going out of his room again, even doing a public apology to everyone, especially to us, even when we told him it wasn't necessary. She still looked guilty whenever we meet, and tried to avoid watching to our damaged parts. I started powdering my legs to hide it, and Shirou started to use a large cloth as a cape to hide his missing arm. It looked really good alongside with the second version of his uniform, more with the red parts that Red Beryl managed to finish this time.

During this time, Shirou had been training me in swordsmanship, with Bort giving "advice" here and there. Shirou and Morga would sometimes duel on their free time, apparently a tradition they developed since they were partners, and he tried to introduce me to it. I did my best, but I was still not at their level.

He also tried to teach me archery, going so far to build a bow, arrows, and a target. My hands and eyes weren't too coordinated, so I never really hit the target's center. Our training caught the attention of the rest of the gems, and some of them started practicing on their own on their free times.

I say all of this, because it helped me realized I was very glad to have met Shirou, and I considered him my best friend, but I couldn't forget his words back then.

—What did he meant with that? Of course Sensei isn't a bad guy, how could he not trust him? —I keep saying in my head every so often, trying to understand what was going inside of his.

Sensei was after all our caretaker, he had given us beauty, he had treated us kindly, and got mad at us when we did something wrong, how could he not love him?

Over all of this, I was still looking for some better job for Cinnabar, as well as doing my job as Sensei's assistant, and working on the encyclopedia. Saying that it was mentally exhausting would be an understanding.

The days became colder as winter approached, and we started our preparations for the hibernation. As the temperature dropped, however, we find a new fascinating fact about Shirou, his body emanated heat. It was barely noticeable, and in warmer days not even he felt it, but now some of my brothers started to cling to him to get a bit warm.

Definitively not me, I was just around him for our patrol duties and because we were friends, nothing else. If I sometimes I was clinging from his back was only to protect him from the others.

—I don't really think I can sleep all winter —Shirou spoke as Red Beryl worked on his pajama, in which he looked visibly uncomfortable—¸ less while wearing this...

—It's cute, so it is fine, isn't it? —I replied.

—I'm more of a cool guy than a cute one, though.

—Well, too bad, Sensei made us all beauties, even the coolest of us is a cute one —Red Beryl chimed in.

I didn't want to correct him and tell him that Sensei hadn't to sculpt Shirou like the rest of us.

—Ah, Phos —Rutile called me—, I told Cinnabar to come to hibernate with us, but he wouldn't listen. Could you take his bedclothes to him at least?

—Awwwk —I made a face I don't want to describe—...I'll do it.

I got up and started going away. Shirou meet me when I was exiting the school, saying that he had fled when Red Beryl wasn't paying attention. He had put his black uniform, but didn't bother putting the red parts of it or the white cloth over it. He was carrying something inside of a bag, but he didn't tell me what it was.

—Do we really have to hibernate? —he asked as we walked through the meadow. I had been thinking the same, actually.

—Well, we need sunlight to be energetic and cute, and there is very few days of sun during winter. I'm usually the first to go to sleep and the last to wake up, so I only know about it from the written informs of Antarc.

—Antarc?

—That's true, you haven't met him. His full name is Antarcticite. He is more or less of the same hardness as me, but he has a more unique constitution. Hear this, his body is liquid all year long, it only solidifies when it gets really cold. The coldest it gets, the stronger he becomes. To be honest, I haven't met him on person either, I just have read his reports, but he sounds like a really cool guy!

—Sounds like an interesting person, I would like to meet him.

We finally reached the residence of Cinnabar, a cavern on the side of a hill near the ocean. She was really surprised to see us, but didn't say anything, and I couldn't find any meaningful word to say either. Shirou, on the other side, gave him the contents of his bag, a rope with several spheres attached to it, which make sounds when they moved.

—If you are going to sleep alone, this will probably wake you up if something enters the cave —He said and exited the cave, I took a moment to appreciate the face Cinnabar was making, and then followed Shirou.

—What was that?

—Something like the wind chimes I made before, but heavier, so the wind doesn't move them unless it is very strong. I have been worried for her since the whole thing with Ventricosus.

—Ruler? What about him?

Shirou paused for a moment —Nothing, just though she would be an easy target if the Admirabilis tried to steal another gem.

We went back to the school, and Red Beryl forced Shirou to use his dress, just as the rest of us did. Rutile asked us how things went with Cinnabar.

—Awkward... —was the only reply I could give to him.

As every winter, Sensei came to say goodnight to us. I closed my eyes, but couldn't fall asleep. There was something in the back of my mind that didn't allow me to rest. I sat up, and crawled to where Shirou was.

—Are you sleeping?

—Not really. Is everyone else asleep?

I covered my hand on the cloth of my dress and pinched Bort's cheek, he reacted, but didn't opened his eyes.

—Like a log.

—Then... —he smiled mischievously—, want to stay until late and meet Antarc?

I nodded and he jumped to his feet, barely producing any noise despite how heavy he was. We changed clothes and went to see Sensei, who was with someone else. As we had hidden behind a pillar, they didn't notice at first.

—It must be lonely for you to do this all alone each year. I'm sorry.

—No, not at all! —Antarc said—Not at all, but... may I do the usual?

Sensei opened his arms, and the guy who I had admired for how cool he was jumped to him, breaking every mental image I had of him. He noticed us then and let out a loud and panicked scream.

—W-why are you awake?! Phosphophyllite and... who are you?

—Well, I suppose I couldn't get to sleep for some reason, I wanted to stay up a bit later. And this is Shirou, we find him this year. He is super strong and made of steel!

—Adamant —Shirou spoke— I would like to help Antarc on his winter duties.

—Huh? —Both me and Antarc said.

—Very well, this year it will be the two of you.

—Ah, wait, if Shirou joins him, I have to join as well, we are partners.

—I refuse —the white haired gem said—the new guy is one thing, but Phosphophyllite is a different thing!

—Then, would you like us to tell everyone about your "usual" thing? —Shirou said.

—I... I will be on your care...