His Other Half (KiriBaku)

Chapter 33

October 21st, XX84
-The Great Hall-

        With Fumikage on his shoulder, Katsuki was pretty sure his shadow moved. He caught little flickers of it from time to time, but he wasn't really sure until they came across Neito in the hall on the way down to Her Majesty's audience chamber. The blonde gladiator looked overly sour, sporting a fresh black eye from something or other, and Katsuki's shadow giggled.

        Neito noticed the sound, quickly finding the angry bird clung to the prince's jacket. "I see you've found a shadow friend, Your Highness."

        Fumikage made a threatening noise, quieter when Katsuki smoothed a hand over his feathers. "I know less than I should about the metamorphes in my home. I hadn't known Fumikage to have power over the shadows."

        Neito hummed, trading a look with the bird. "I don't think he does," the blonde missed, a hand out to sense the magic in the air. "Metamorphes typically are restricted biologically in the magic they can use. However, it is not uncommon, especially in bird species, for some offspring to not fully developed physical forms. I think the spirit in your shadow might perhaps be a twin embryo."

        Fumikage squawked, unimpressed. Katsuki's shadow grabbed Neito by the ankles and tripped him, giggling madly when he fell to the floor. Katsuki glanced at the bird. "Well?"

        Fumikage only bobbed his head left and right, a motion Katsuki interpreted as a bird shrug. Neito scoffed, picking himself off the floor and brushing himself off with a sniff.

The trio passed by a window overlooking the coliseum. Eijiro would be there already, competing with Itsuka. Katsuki wondered if the two allies had flipped a coin for who would scold Tetsutetsu, and if Neito had lost. He quickened his pace. The sooner he dealt with these shenanigans, the sooner he could move on too far more important things.

They passed into the halls where the queen held audiences and trials, where Tama Shindo's trial had been held just days before, in time to hear her issue a threat. "—I think he should be castrated."

Katsuki's mother lounged on her throne at the end of the hall, Denki and Tetsutetsu kneeled at her feet. Her husband stood beside her, glaring pointedly at the ceiling, Tenya on her other side rubbing at his eyes. Tetsutetsu made an uncomfortable noise, glaring when Denki laughed at him.

Queen Mitsuki was not amused. "Don't laugh—I think you should have your tongue cut out for your impertinence. You do realize this incident could be considered theft of royal property, don't you?"

Katsuki gagged dramatically to make his presence known. He smothered a laugh when Tetsutetsu shot him a hopeful pleading glance. "Are you sure we can't just give him a reward and be done with it?"

        "Katsuki, take this seriously," Mitsuki sighed. "The court will have such a field day with this scandal."

        "Then don't make it a scandal," Katsuki shrugged, striding to meet her on the other side of the room. Fumikage ruffled his feathers. "It's no secret I haven't much love for the Cour members. Acting possessive of them will only make me look bitter and selfish. Better to take them out of public eye for a while, maybe put them to work. Denki in the kitchens, and Tetsutetsu with the gardener? It's either that or we bar him from the games."

        His mother stayed quiet for a long time, considering. "That does seem to be an acceptable alternative. Fine then—Neito what happened to your face?"

        The blonde noble glowered. "An angry woman, Your Majesty."

        Masaru made a noise of agreement, causing his wife to hit him. Denki and Tetsutetsu were soon dismissed to their punishments, Neito escorting Tetsu to deliver a separate scolding, and Katsuki suddenly found Izuku at his side.