A Certain Magical Fate, Book 4: Cherry Blossoms

Okita and Vader

Okita paced back and forth in the main lobby of the New York Chaldea building.. her brow furrowed...  as Ritsuka and Mash sat nearby, Ritsuka filing her nails and Mash reading a novel. 

"You okay?" said Ritsuka, looking at Okita worriedly. 

"Mikoto is out there without me.. of course I'm worried." said Okita. "She's my si.. I mean my master.. how could I NOT be worried!?"

"Calm down." said Mash serenely. "She's with Mordred after all, and she's hardly vulnerable herself. "

"What is Mordred's relationship with Mikoto by the way?" said Okita. "I get Mikoto was adopted by Saber.. and maybe even shares her blood as a legitimate family member due to the blood that was melded with her.. but.. Mordred.. what reason did she had to become attached to Mikoto the way she does.. to the extent?"

Ritsuka and Mash looked at each other, then they grinned and chuckled. 

"Mordred.. is.. in love with Mikoto." said Mash.

"HAAAAH!?" stammered Okita. "Wait.. what!?"

"It's a complicated relationship." said Ritsuka. "At least that's what Mash told me..  tea Okita?"

Ritsuka held out a hand to the tray of cups and the tea kettle sitting on the table in front of them.

Okita stared down at the tea.. as a memory began to flood her head...

"This will be the first step to your training.."

"Making tea?" Mikoto looked up at Okita, frowning as she began grinding tea leaves with a little bowl and grinding tool  on the low table..

"You said you wanted to join the police force like me... right? Well learning sword practice requires a calm level head. It is not like normal fighting which requires utmost instinct and complete barbaric attacking and dodging.. you must know where to cut.. precisely how to cut.. and precisely how to move.. that requires calm.." said Okita sternly. "In other words.. it's a lot like painting.. only on a faster scale.."

"So.. how is making tea supposed to do that?" Mikoto asked as Okita handed her the ground up tea leaves.

"Our family.. has long been renowned for making the greatest tea.." said Okita with a smile. "The reason for that is.. we have calmly assessed the precise ingredients.. and the exact amounts that are to go within a cup.. in other words precision.. precision requires calm..  and when you have mastered precision, you will have mastered calm. 

Okita gave Mikoto a scroll. "Memorize the ingredients on this scroll to the letter.. and make tea for us to drink recreated EXACTLY as the scroll describes without looking at the scroll..  if your tea doesn't taste as it should.. you will try again. And you will attempt to let go of your frustration upon repeated failure.."

"R. Repeated failure!?" Mikoto stammered. "What makes you think I'll repeatedly fail?"

"Oh.. just a hunch." said Okita with a chuckle as she remembered her own master's teachings. 

Indeed after 20 or so tries... Okita once more tasted a cup of tea that Mikoto offered her.. 

Sitting on her knees as was traditionally proper.. Okita took the cup that Mikoto poured for her in both hands.. and sipped.

"The spice is off by a 3 quarters of a teaspoon..Do it again.. and reflect on what you have done wrong."

Mikoto sighed, she looked very exasperated, her hair messed up a little. "Y..yes.. Sensei.."