FUKASHI

It takes about a week of lessons for Cel to really warm up to Nora, and then they cannot be separated. Hostility warms into friendship quickly, and Nora can be found following Cel around the house when Cel doesn’t deign to drag her along.

Cel doesn’t judge Nora for her missing arm or foreign accent. Instead, she leads Nora into her room after lessons to show off the shell collection she’d picked up at the beach on the rare occasions when Fukashi had managed to sneak her out--always in the dead of night.

Arthur knows about those little excursions, of course. Cel’s too proud of her collection for him not to.

As for Nora, her training has been interesting to say the least. Fukashi’s first goal for her is for her to adapt to her new balance. He encourages her good posture by teaching her new exercises. Bizarrely, she seems to enjoy them. Cel, however, fusses up a storm as Nora attempts her third round of one-handed push-ups in a row. She’s strong for a seven-year-old, as expected of a Busuruli child but also quite motivated.

“Your Daddy can fight,” Fukashi says, trying to encourage Cel to do anything other than sprawl across the floor on her back. “Don’t you want to be like him one day?”

“I want to be smart like Daddy,” she whines. “It’s not the same thing, ShiShi.” Cel doesn’t sweat thanks to her firecore, but she breathes like she’s just ran the perimeter of Malais. All she actually did was ten rather half assed sit-ups.

“Cel may never be an assassin, but she’ll think circles around her opponents,” says a warm voice from the main door of the house.

Fukashi waits for Nora to clamor to her feet before turning around, but Cel has already launched herself at Arthur. Holding her in his arms, he kisses her forehead.

Nora stays behind Fukashi, using him like a shield. Fukashi can’t really blame her for being wary of Arthur. That doesn’t stop him from striding across the room and planting a kiss on his cheek. “What brings you here so early today, Fox?”

“I’ve been meaning to make time to train Cel. I took a few days off.” He adjusts his hold on her and smiles at Nora. “I want to also get to know Nora a little better.”

Nora’s eyes widen.

“Daddy’s not scary,” Cel tells her, wiggling so Arthur will put her down. He watches with a calculating look in his eyes as Cel meanders over to grab Nora’s hand reassuringly. “At least not to us,” she says proudly. “You should say ‘hi’ to him!”

Nora doesn’t look reassured. She greets Arthur meekly. “Hi, sir.”

He tsks and comes to kneel before the two girls. “So you’ve made a friend of my Little General.”

Nora moves closer to her and nods. “Yes, sir.”

Fukashi bites his lower lip. He’s still not sure he likes Cel’s new nickname. It implies...expectations. There’s no doubt in his mind that Arthur expects great things from their daughter, but for all their similarities, Cel is quite different from him. Fukashi only hopes Arthur will embrace that fact in the long run.

Cel beams. “Nora is mine, Daddy! Just like you said!”

Fukahi shifts against the wall, anger sparking in his chest. “Oh?” He catches Arthur’s gaze. He wants to say: is this why Cel has latched onto Nora so quickly?

He settles for glaring. He knows Arthur will understand why.

Arthur sighs and straightens to his full height. “Nora and I should talk alone for a while, Cel. Continue training with Fukashi.”

Cel groans theatrically, but Fukashi swoops her up before she can flop onto the floor again.

“Be kind to her, Arthur,” he warns. He’s grown fond of little Nora, who trembles at the prospect of talking alone with Arthur.

Arthur hums in affirmation, then disappears down the hall. “Come, Noranine,” he says. “We have much to discuss.”