Chapter 4: A New Home
Izuku Midoriya sat in class, biting his thumb, and was trying to focus on the teacher's lecture. Unfortunately, his mind was trying to shoot off into too many directions. The teacher's lecture, being a basic overview of Quirk Laws that they had gone over this semester, failed to engage Izuku since almost none of it had applied to him for years.
Then again... He was going to be getting One for All soon. The Quirk that had been passed down for generations until it reached All-Might. The sacred torch that it represented would be Izuku's, which was both awe-inspiring and heavy. The young successor would need to ensure that the power wouldn't go to his head, less he disgraced the Number 1 Hero.
Which is why I should be paying attention! Izuku mentally scolded himself. He gripped his pencil, trying to force himself to focus on the words from his teacher. Nope, they were blurring together, the sounds the teacher made sounding more like sound effects than actual words. It was just like those old American cartoons All-Might liked. There were even strange popping sounds coming from behind him. Izuku would probably need to do a hard workout and then do some make-up studying later.
Sighing, he looked down at his school notebook, then discretely switched it out for his Hero Analysis for the Future, Volume 17. It was getting full, though, so by the time he started U.A., he'll probably need to start on Volume 18. That was if he did get into the Hero Course...
Shunting those negative thoughts, he turned his focus back to the notebook. Flipping to the back, past the pages dedicated to Hawks and Saber Shine, there rested the two drawings he had done last night. He had immediately done them after getting back from U.A., determined not to forget any details.
On the left, a detailed drawing of Shirou Emiya stood, holding those black and white swords he had. While the drawing was just done in pencil, Izuku had made sure to shade in the patches of darker skin that Shirou had, as well as the lighter spot in his hair. The pose was dynamic, Shirou rushing in after those gang members, Shirou's face set in his steel-like determination. He had leapt into the fray the second the danger was unavoidable, saving both his sister and Izuku himself.
Man, I wish I was like that. Izuku turned his gaze to the other page, where a sketch of Shirou's sister, Miyu, was placed on. It was the image he saw when Miyu had stood up to Jester, standing as firm as she could, her eyes just like her brother's. Whatever these siblings had seen before, Izuku knew they were forged stronger for it.
Though... where did she get that ball she threw at Jester? Izuku decided to quickly sketch the ball right next to her feet, even though it had vanished from the scene after Miyu and Saber Shine had left. Izuku had only barely remembered it after he had gotten his stuff back to All-Might, and neither of them found it. Maybe it was a part of her Quirk? Her brother's was a form of Projection, which typically involved making objects that would eventually fade away, so probably.
After making sure the shading was right on the ball, and that the two sketches looked right, Izuku added some notes about what he observed about their Quirks. Mostly on Shirou, but if Miyu did have the same or a similar Quirk, maybe they shared some applications. While Izuku did this, he ignored that popping sound, and tried not to worry about the Emiya siblings.
Izuku had asked All-Might first thing at lunch if there was any update on the Emiya case. The Number 1 Hero had taken that opportunity to point out a lesson for Izuku: Pro-Heroes don't always get to learn how people end up in the cases they were involved in. It was important that when the time came that the Pro-Heroes involved could detach themselves from the situation. That was life, you didn't always get to be around for the ending, good or ill.
Izuku ignored some more popping in the background as he pondered the situation. He knew All-Might meant well, and spoke from experience. He still wished he could have made sure they were okay. All he had to go on was that Shirou had been brought to emergency care, Miyu had been taken to see him, and that of gang members, one had still gotten away, though All-Might and Hawks apparently were doing a search.
His thoughts were derailed the second the popping got replaced with a low growl. Izuku gulped, then turned to look a few seats away. There, Katsuki Bakugo, Izuku's former childhood friend and future U.A. prospect, sat in his seat, glowering right at the green haired boy. Izuku's eyes went wide, and he turned back to his notebook.
Katsuki Bakugo, or Kacchan, was a formidable seventeen year old. With spiky blond hair, blood red eyes, and a powerful Explosion Quirk, it wasn't hard for Kacchan to leave an impression big enough to satisfy his own ego. Though, the expression he was currently wearing wasn't the sullen and bored one that Kacchan had taken to since the Sludge Villain Incident. This was the full feral sneer that indicated that Bakugo had found his next target.
But, what had Izuku done? The two boys had made an effort to leave each other alone. Izuku made sure to take the more inconvenient routes, which worked fine since he had training to do. Katsuki didn't chase after him, and had subtly guided other students away from focusing on Izuku. This balance was one of the few things Izuku had going for himself, so why was Katsuki so ready to gun after him?
Izuku stopped for a second, the realization hitting him harder than a pat on the back from All-Might. The Emiya situation. All-Might had cast a spotlight on him during that interview, and Bakugo was self-absorbed, not stupid. He must have seen that small bit with Izuku in it, and was now angry that Izuku had "dared to take the spotlight."
All-Might, why? Izuku sighed, then steeled himself. No need to panic, Kacchan's anger problems aside. All-Might dealt with hate all the time, one didn't become the best hero across the whole world without angering others. Whether it was Villains looking to take him down or Pro-Heroes envious of his position, All-Might was always ahead and smiling. Constantly reassuring the world that no matter what, he was here, and no amount of heat could keep him away.
Izuku would do the same. He didn't need to do a lot anyways, much less contact All-Might. All he had to do was slip out of school when the bell rang without Kacchan figuring out where he was headed. Once he was out of Kacchan's sight, the angry teen would go work out his anger and that would be that. Should be simple, right?
Yeah... no. The second class got out, two of Bakugo's henchmen managed to pin Izuku and "guide" him around the school to a small alley. Here in the shadows, out of the view of the cameras, Bakugo grabbed Izuku's collar and pushed him against the wall. Izuku grimaced, but kept it together, just waiting for Bakugo to get over this.
"What the hell do you think you're doing, Deku?" Bakugo snarled, using that damn nickname. The bully tightened his fist around the collar of Izuku's uniform, causing the shirt to rub uncomfortably against his neck, "You really think anyone wants your worthless ass to be the hero!"
Izuku responded in a panic, "I wasn't trying to be a hero! I was just in the wrong place at the right time!" This apparently was the wrong thing to say, as the two goons chuckled at that while Kacchan snarled. Izuku could smell the nitroglycerin-like substance that Kacchan's Quirk used as it stained his uniform.
"Well next time, you should just fuck off and let the real heroes save the day! All you did was get in All-Might's way, didn't you!" Bakugo growled, holding up his other hand to start sparking, "So stop trying to be such a damn hero Deku!"
Izuku suddenly zoned in on the hand Bakugo was holding up. He'd been hurt by that hand a multitude of times. Burned, smacked, punched, all sorts of things. Yet, it didn't feel dangerous anymore. Izuku had had so much suffering at Bakugo's hands, and yet...
Jester... Jester was a real villain. In the short time that Izuku had to deal with him yesterday, he had dominated the time until All-Might had arrived. Izuku had to run all over Kashiiku Park just to keep Miyu away. Even then, Jester had eventually found Izuku, and was more than willing to disembowel him. Jester was a bloodthirsty maniac.
Katsuki Bakugo was just a bully. A kid who inherited an amazing Quirk, and let that power go to his head. Izuku found that just a day after facing a real villain... Kacchan wasn't scaring him right now. Maybe it was just the high from everything that happened yesterday, maybe it was just the stress from training talking, or maybe it was...
For your part, you did well. Good job. You were a hero today.
Saber Shine's words flashed through Izuku's head, and he grabbed Kacchan's wrist, applying pressure in the right spots to get the bully to let go. Bakugo looked at him shocked, and the other guys even stepped back. Izuku, meanwhile, used one of the skills he had practiced for ages, copying the face of the Number 1 Hero in the mirror, and used it to reflect Emiya's determination.
"Kacchan," Izuku slowly spoke, making sure to keep his voice steady. Even as he used Emiya's face of determination as a reference, Izuku's was weaker, as his eyes were still watering, and his face flushed. Nevertheless, he continued, "The only person I got in the way of was a Villain who wanted to hurt me and the girl I was charged with protecting. I did the best I could, given who I am. I'm sure you would have done better in that situation."
Izuku's eyes narrowed, "But I was the one who was there. I helped Saber Shine and All-Might save her. They told me I could still be a hero. So, I'm going to keep working hard, and I am going to apply to U.A." Bakugo stepped back, and Izuku looked at everyone there.
"Like it or not, you can't stop me!" With those words thrown down like a gauntlet, Izuku grabbed his backpack from one of the henchmen and stormed away, barely overhearing what Kacchan said behind his back.
"Heh, whatever. Let the runt try, he's just going to fail the exam. Let him drown in his dreams and..." Bakugo, strangely cut himself off, but Izuku didn't hear whatever he or the others said. It didn't matter anyways.
You're wrong, Kacchan, Izuku thought to himself as he exited the school gates, headed for his house so he could change into his workout gear and start training some more. I won't fail. I'll work hard, and make my dreams a reality. That was the promise he had made to himself when All-Might had offered One for All to him, and Izuku Midoriya would be damned if anything stood in his way.
Saber Shine finished marking down his last note, then looked up to Hawks, who was trying to maintain a poker face. Saber Shine ignored him, as he looked down at the two Emiya siblings, who were sitting on the hospital bed in Exam Room 4. Arturia sat in the visitor seats, eyes wide from the story the Emiya siblings spun. Doctor Aozaki stood at the entrance, using a lollipop as a substitute for her typical cigarette.
Saber Shine relaxed his arms, "Alright, thank you for answering our questions. Do you have anything else you need to say or add?" The two Emiyas shook their heads, and Saber Shine nodded, "Alright, then I think Hawks and I will go ahead and go write our reports. Arturia, you can hang out for a minute, but when I get back we'll be headed off, alright?"
Arturia acknowledged her instructions, so Saber Shine and Hawks left the room. Once they were outside the building, and thus out of hearing range, Hawks turned immediately to Saber Shine, "You know they were lying, right?" Saber Shine sighed in response as they headed down to where he was parked.
According to the Emiyas, they were the children of divorced parents, Kirtsugu Emiya and Hiyoko Sakatsuki. Kiritsugu's work took him abroad, and he brought his son along, while Miyu stayed home with Hiyoko. However, the Sakatsukis lived in Fuyuki, where Mount Enzo had erupted almost six years ago. A lot of citizens were saved there, but many were not. Hiyoko was one of the ones that weren't. Kiritsugu took Miyu back in, and they relocated to Alimango Island.
Things went fine for a few years before Kiritsugu died, leaving Shirou to raise Miyu on his own. At some point, a group known as the Ainsworths had kidnapped Miyu for her Projection Quirk, and Shirou had gone after them to save Miyu. He managed to get to Miyu, when someone who was with the Ainsworths, Manaka Sajyou, used her Teleporting Quirk to send them here.
"They weren't telling the whole truth, I can tell that much," Saber Shine responded. Gawain had been in the Pro-Hero business for over 20 years, and was a parent of three teenagers. He could tell when kids, especially ones as honest as Shirou and Miyu, were lying. Saber Shine continued, "That being said, I do think the general gist was accurate."
Hawks scowled, "Gawain, the second they said Kiritsugu and Hiyoko, I ran a background search. Look," he showed the elder Pro-Hero the tablet, where only one document showed up, "Kiritsugu has a birth certificate for November 11th, 2065, and that's it. Hiyoko has nothing. Neither of them have a marriage certificate, driver's license, or even a Quirk Registry Entry. They're ghosts."
Saber Shine examined the birth certificate, "...Kiritsugu was born on Alimango Island, so that part of the story looks to be true." Hawks put his arms down and stared at him incredulously. Saber Shine didn't blame him, per se.
Alimango Island was often used as a cover for smugglers and pirates, and the local government was so corrupt it was near impossible to find or trust any records that came out of there. Even if Kiritsugu Emiya was born there, and then moved his children there after the Mount Enzo Disaster, it would be hard to verify, especially since it was likely that Shirou and Miyu weren't registered to begin with.
Saber Shine rolled his neck and leaned against his car. Since it was past 3pm, it was back to regular status for him. The only reason he was in uniform still was because he had been handling some virtual meetings with advertisers who wanted to sponsor him. Thankfully, they were gracious enough to reschedule, knowing that a Hero's duty can call at any time. Gawain continued his train of thought, "I think that the general gist is true. These siblings had parents who died, Shirou took care of her, then Miyu was kidnapped and Shirou went Vigilante to save her. They then somehow ended up here. That's all that really matters, right?"
"No, it isn't," Hawks responded, "We need to know what this new group, the Ainsworths, are. Are they traffickers? Are they extortionists? They kidnapped Miyu for a reason, and Shirou Emiya isn't giving us any information on them."
"Shirou gave us what he knows. Anything else he's hiding, well, we aren't going to get out of him. He's an honest kid, I can tell," Gawain stated, and Hawks had to nod in agreement, "So the fact he isn't giving us everything means he doesn't feel he can trust us with that information. I've been that kid, and so have you." Hawks grimaced as Gawain followed up with, "I remember how long it took for you to tell me about your home life. Your real home life."
Hawks sighed deeply, "Yeah, I know what you mean. But our old home lives didn't involve some sort of criminal organization," Gawain held in a scoff, "That we needed to investigate. Whatever this story Shirou Emiya just told us... It isn't what we need to know to get to the bottom of this."
Gawain sighed, "They aren't going to tell us the truth until they feel comfortable and safe. They're fresh off Miyu's kidnapping, only to have that gang pick a fight. They're going to need to go through some healing before they'll be willing to talk to anyone about what really happened. So you and I can just keep an ear out for these Ainsworths, and let them come to us when they feel ready."
Hawks sighed, looking to the side. He stared at nothing for a minute, then sighed again, "Yeah, you're right," Gawain nodded, then got into his car, pulling up his laptop so he could finish his report. Hawks then said, "Let's leave it to the professionals. I've already contacted the Safety Commission's social services. They'll be by tomorrow to take the Emiyas into the foster system."
Gawain stopped for a second, then nodded, pulling the report up, "Yeah, you're right," he started filling in the details that were still missing, "Hopefully they can find those kids a good home."
Hawks nodded, "I'm sure they'll find Miyu a good home," he started to step away, but Saber Shine frowned at the wording, stopping the Number 3 Hero with his name.
"Hawks, what do you mean, 'find Miyu a good home?'" Gawain asked, fearing the answer already. Hawks just shrugged, not nearly as concerned about it.
"I mean... typically with seventeen year olds, they put them in a group home. That's what happened to me. I'm sure they'll do the same for Shirou. They'll work with him and get him set up."
"...So why wouldn't they keep Miyu with him?" Gawain knew why, he didn't really know why he was asking. Maybe, it was to force himself to confront what Hawks was suggesting.
Hawks stared at him, "Because they tend to separate boys and girls in the foster system?" Hawks shrugged nonchalantly, "Shirou will go to a group home, while Miyu will either get a foster family or also go to a group home. Everyone will get the care that they need."
"...Keigo, you are talking about splitting up a family," Gawain fought hard to not growl, his anger seeping in slowly, "A family that has fought very hard to stay together."
Hawks took a step back, "Gawain, it's just going to be four years at the most. Shirou might be able to get to a point to take her back in a few years. Even if that doesn't happen, once Miyu gets out, she could easily just go find her brother and live with him. I'm not saying they'll be forced to cut off communication, they'll be able to call, text, email, all that stuff. She'll just live somewhere else from him. Probably somewhere nicer. Isn't that better than having her live with a seventeen year old with nowhere to go?" Hawks spread out his wings, clearly ready to take off, "Not every family gets to stick together. Not every family should."
With that, he took off, Saber Shine watching the red winged hero take off like a jet. He gritted his teeth, trying to temper his anger. Hawks was being an asshole due to his past, but his logic was sound. Gawain's reaction was more emotionally based, as this situation was too close to the one five years ago, with Arturia and...
He took a deep breath, and focused on finishing his report. His mouse went to submit it, but then he stopped, sighed, then saved and closed the report. Gawain wanted to look over it one more time, when he was in the right state of mind. He got out of the car and went inside to get his daughter. Every step caused his mind to war over this situation.
This wasn't right, but what could he do?
Angelica Toyotomi, formerly of the Ainsworth clan in another world, picked up the receiver on the office phone on the third ring. The second she did, a Spiritron Hack was displaced, authenticating the caller as Touko Aozaki, calling about magecraft business. Angelica paused for a second, then held the receiver to her ear, "For those who look to the past," she intoned, initiating the Spiritron Handshake.
"We look to the future," Aozaki responded dryly, completing the authentication. Now that the line was encrypted, both across cyber-based and magecraft methods, Aozaki continued, "I'm trying to reach the Second Owner of Musutafu, regarding a situation of two Travelers from another worldline."
Angelica's eyes widened, glancing at the Second Owner, who was engrossed in other things, ignoring the call completely. Angelica returned to the call, "The Second Owner is otherwise occupied, but I serve as the Head Enforcer here. I can handle the situation."
Aozaki sighed, but continued, "Two kids managed to use a Holy Grail in another worldline to jump to this one for safety. I will forward your office encrypted documents with the truth that they have told me as well as the lie they have just fed to the Hero Public Safety Commission. I was told that the Second Owner wanted to be kept informed about these situations, so that the background stories could be ensured?"
Angelica acknowledged the request, "We will do so. As a matter of curiosity, what are the names of the two kids?" She managed to keep her voice calm, even though she had been waiting for this confirmation for years now.
"Shirou and Miyu Emiya." Aozaki's words confirmed Angelica's suspicions. Angelica thanked her and hung up, turning to the Second Owner, who was looking at Angelica with an amused grin.
"You knew what that call was about, didn't you?" Angelica asked, being sure not to sound accusatory. The Second Owner had done a lot for her, and Angelica didn't want to come off as ungrateful.
"I took a guess, as we all do. It looks like it paid off. You did say you wanted to be the first to know when they arrived, and now you got the confirmation before I did," the Second Owner chuckled, pouring a drink before sipping it, "I take it that you haven't changed your mind?"
"Of course not, Shirou Emiya deserves what's coming to him." Angelica responded curtly. She had been waiting for four years now, and her resolve had not changed, even upon learning of the time displacement between the Emiya siblings' arrival to this world and her own, "If you allow, I will go and..."
"I do not. You must attend to the task that Touko Aozaki gave you," the Second Owner decreed, "Your time with Shirou Emiya will come, but for now, you must secure their backgrounds. I will personally handle the cost, for my interests. It is imperative that it is done quickly," the Second Owner's red eyes burned deeply, almost glowing, "We must not allow All for One to learn of Miyu Sakatsuki's existence."
Arturia Pendragon and her father arrived at their home later that evening, Gawain holding the ingredients he needed for his potato salad. Since they had Dairy Queen yesterday, Gawain had just given Lance and Kay some money to eat out as well, and today became Potato Salad Day. Bummer, Arturia had been thrilled to escape it.
She walked over to the round dinner table they had in the dining room, while Gawain headed to the kitchen to start preparing dinner. Arturia flopped into her seat, acknowledging her brothers, who were sitting at the table doing their homework. "Hello, dear brothers of mine," she spoke in a pompous voice, to which Lance and Kay just gave her a look.
Lance was the first to respond, "Hey, Artie. You seem to be in a good mood," Lance, full name Lancelot Pendragon, was about to begin his third year at U.A's Hero Course. He had long, purple hair that he dyed himself, much to the chagrin of his father, but as U.A. allowed such expressions of individuality where appropriate, Gawain chose not to push the issue. Lance closed the lid to his laptop, raising an eyebrow, "How did your 'shift' with Miss Miyu go?"
Arturia smiled smugly, "I must be a miracle worker. Shirou Emiya woke up today." Lance and Kay blinked, then looked at Gawain, who nodded absent-mindedly as he worked.
Kay looked back at Arturia, "Artie, don't tell me you kissed him to wake him up? True Love's Kiss isn't real." Kay was also about to be in his third year, but he was in the Business Course, not the Hero Course. He was better with his numbers than his Quirk.
Arturia made a face at him, "I did not! That would have been extremely creepy and weird, especially with his sister right there. No, I was just chatting with Miyu, since she had been reading The Once and Future King since we left last night, then Shirou shot forward awake. Clearly, he was interested in reading the book," she joked.
Kay snarked back, "Or maybe he was sick of hearing about it, and wanted you two to stop talking about it." Lance was quick enough to grab Arturia's collar before she jumped at Kay, leading to one of their many, many brawls.
Lance then turned to Gawain, "What happened with him being out for over a week? This seems sooner than what was expected," the Pendragon father nodded, as he finalized the last bits of the meal.
"Indeed, but Doctor Aozaki has no idea why Shirou woke up so fast. He seems to be in good shape, and his wounds should be gone in a day or so. Overall, it's a miracle healing, and I'm glad for Miyu's sake it was so," Gawain stated as he finished up. Arturia nodded as everyone put away their homework and devices, and gathered their dinner utensils and set them up.
"Yes, I'm glad as well. You could feel Miyu release that last bit of tension once her brother was awake," the Pendragon daughter gestured once everyone had sat down and started serving themselves what they could tolerate. Enough food to not offend the father, but not so much to offend their own tongues. "After hearing their story, I can understand why. It was insane."
"Oh?" Kay asked, "What exactly is this story, can you tell us?" Arturia went to tell the tale, but then stopped herself. She looked to Gawain, silently wondering if she could tell it. Gawain nodded, staring intently at his own food. Arturia chose to ignore this detail, beginning to retell the Emiya story with her own embellishment and theories.
Lance and Kay sat back in their seats after Arturia finished, thinking about everything. They had gotten through most of their food, and Arturia was rushing to finish her plate. Food was food, even when it was gross like this potato salad. Gawain still stared at his food, barely picking on his own. Kay noticed this, and was quick to respond, "Wow, that is one tall tale, huh, Dad?"
Gawain murmured an assent, not moving. Lance raised an eyebrow. "Yes, the story is quite something. I thought we had it rough with..." Lance widened his eyes, realizing the situation immediately, his head snapped to his father, "Dad, what's going to happen to these two?"
Gawain's eyes flicked upwards, looking at his three children. He sighed, then set his spoon down and steepled his fingers, "...Hawks has contacted the Safety Commission's social services. They'll probably be there tomorrow or the day after, once Shirou is medically cleared. They'll be working on finding them new homes."
Arturia and her two brothers slowly felt dread creep up with every word. "They'll... find a home together, right?" she asked slowly, already figuring out the answer. Gawain didn't respond, which was as good a response as any he could have given. "Oh, bullshit!" Arturia cried out, with Lance and Kay nodding.
"Language, Arturia," Gawain said, relaxing his fingers and leaning back, taking a swing from his drink, "I don't like it either, but cursing won't help the situation. To be honest, I don't know what we can do either."
"So what, we just let this go?" Arturia gestured, "You and Hawks show up to the scene, beat off some gang members, take Shirou to get emergency care, and the bill is that he isn't going to see his sister again?"
Gawain sighed, saying the same things that were almost true five years ago, "It won't be permanent. It's possible that visitation will still be on the table," Gawain stopped himself, shuddering as he realized what he was saying. He took a deep breath, then continued, "We don't even know if they'll be separated for sure. It's possible that a foster family will want both siblings, and we're worrying over nothing."
Kay scoffed, "Unlikely. Even getting a family for a fourteen year old will be hard, but for a seventeen year old? They'll just put him in a group home and call it a day. Just like they did with Hawks," he stopped as he considered something, "Hawks probably doesn't realize the damage this will cause, since he was an only child at the time."
"That doesn't make it right!" Arturia retorted, "How would you have felt if you got kept away from the rest of the family?" Kay bit back a retort that he would be glad to be rid of his little sister pestering him, but this wasn't the time for a joke like that. It was too close to this situation to be funny.
Lance had stopped to consider something, then turned to Gawain, "Is there nothing we can do? Anyone we could contact about taking them in?" Gawain shrugged.
"Trust me, I've thought about it. The best I think we could do is contact Julian and see if he could use his connections to get into the foster system and get them a home," Julian Kaiser, the Pendragon family's uncle by marriage, had a variety of business he was successful in. It was in part due to Julian's success in his latest Hero Support company, P.U.C.K. Industries that encouraged the Pendragon family's move to Japan in the first place. A good guy, all things considered, besides his hedonism and his choice of wife; Gawain's sister-in-law. "The issue with that is that even if Julian can guarantee a new home for these two, it could take months."
Lance narrowed his eyes, "What about the Robin Ward Laws?" Gawain rolled his head to look at Lance, a questioning look in his gaze, "We covered them in class a few months back. You, Hawks, or All-Might qualify for that in this case, right?"
The Robin Ward Laws were implemented shortly after Pro-Heroes became a mainstream, legalized profession. The issue a lot of Pro-Heroes ran into was coming across an orphan who they felt could be saved if they just adopted them. The orphans would agree, due to trauma-bonding with the Pro-Hero in question. However, as being a Pro-Hero was a dangerous profession, many of these orphans would end up back in the same spot, or in danger themselves as they became targets for Villains.
Thus, a new system was developed: a Pro-Hero could adopt an orphan and their siblings as long as the orphan agreed to enter an apprenticeship and serve at least two years as a Pro-Hero. This was to ensure that the orphans knew what kind of life they were getting into, while making sure the Pro-Heroes thought about what actions they were taking. Even then, the orphans would need regularly scheduled check-in appointments with a licensed therapist to ensure everything was on the up and up.
Gawain sighed, "Hawks is far too young to try to deal with teenagers, even if he is the Number 3 hero. Even if he wasn't, he's the one pushing for the Safety Commission's solution, so he's out. All-Might has spoken out against the Robin Ward Laws, saying that he felt they were too restrictive to the people involved and that people should willingly choose to be a hero, not feel that they need to be conscripted to get a home. I don't know if he'd be willing to break his own commitment over keeping this family together."
"Well then, we can take them," Arturia stated, with all eyes looking at her incredulously, "I mean, we have the room in this place, and your hero career is doing well, so we can make it work, right?"
Gawain gave her a deadpan stare, "Right. And I'm supposed to be okay with moving in a boy your age to live here, with us?" he shook his head, "Trust me, I considered it, but my priorities are you guys, and I don't know if Shirou Emiya is safe to be around."
Lance took a second to think about things, "I mean... from Arturia's telling, the only thing he really cares about is making sure his sister is safe, right? I can relate to that, and so can Kay," his brother nodded at the sentiment. While Lance was better for more direct fighting, Kay had more than once managed to either drive someone off with words or smooth things over. The two brothers were very protective over their little sister.
Kay leaned forward in his seat, "While there are definitely some drawbacks to inviting Arturia's crush to live here," Arturia snapped her glare to Kay, who ignored her, "There are some distinct advantages as well, at least from a business perspective. As long as this Shirou Emiya can live up to the hype, you'll be known for training both Hawks and whoever Emiya becomes and ends up ranking, promoting your own brand alongside him. As well as the tax breaks and the publicity..."
"I'm not... Kay, we're not advertising that we adopted the Emiyas even if we do," Gawain stared at his more business minded son, "There was someone after them, we're not lighting up their names in lights that they're here if we do take them in."
"I mean, if you did go through with the Ward Laws, Shirou would end up going to U.A. with us, right?" Lance piped up, and Gawain pinched his nose as he saw where this was going, "If he did make it in, he'd most likely have to do the Sports Festival, right?"
"Nah, I'm sure they'd give an exception and let him skip out on that if it was needed," Kay remarked, "They did with one of the support students who ended up in a patent infringement case last year. They could waive Shirou off. It'd tank his popularity, but it could be done."
Arturia picked at this minute to speak up, "Let's not forget the other advantage Shirou would offer your agency, Dad: nighttime patrol coverage. You can only do Pro-Hero work during the day, and we can't let Lance work alone. Having Shirou would allow for a rotation of the night shift, alternating between the three of us so that we could pick up more work."
Lancelot Pendragon's Quirk took after their mother's, except it was more generalized. It was called Tactile Weapon Master, where the second Lance grabbed anything and focused, his body would instantly identify the best combat options with the object he was holding. He became a silent but effective brute, and that was the main drawback. Everything became a hammer, and everything else became a nail. As such, he could only effectively do hero work with someone who was trained on how to command him. P.U.C.K. was working on an AI model that could work so he could have some more autonomy, but current testing had revealed that the AI would instead trigger a violent rejection, which was less effective.
Arturia's suggestion had a lot of merit, which gave Gawain pause. As it stood, there weren't a lot of applicants for sidekicks at the Saber Shine Agency. It essentially was just his secretary, the advertising agent, and his two sons during Work Studies. Even if it was more than a year out, when they would get their Provisional Hero Licenses in the second year, having two sidekicks that would have training to handle Lance would be a boon.
Gawain sighed, "I'll think about it. Right now, I see that everyone is done, so go attend to your chores and homework." Lance and Kay acknowledged the instructions, then took care of their dishes and started to head off.
Arturia stayed behind, looking directly at her father, before speaking emphatically, "If we wait any longer, Hawks will have them shipped off. Let's get things started and..."
"Arturia," Gawain spoke softly but with a firm hand, "I said I will think about it. If you continue to push, I will not be amicable to your position. This is a delicate situation, and if we lose control of our emotions it could..."
"If we don't act fast we could lose them! They could lose each other! I thought we didn't want that to happen!" Arturia's words were far more harsh than Gawain's. Harsher than she meant them to be, "I thought we wanted to prevent something like..."
"Arturia Pendragon," Gawain looked back at his daughter, his face containing the gaze of a judge that was about to sentence the guilty party, "This isn't a democracy. I value your input, as well as your brothers, but I will make the final decision. If you do not respect that, there will be consequences."
Their staring contest continued for a solid few minutes, before Arturia broke it off and stormed off to her room, careful not to use her Quirk and break something. She knew she was being unreasonable, but she felt the situation called for it. She needed to know that these two would be safe. She needed to know that they would find a home together.
She needed to know that it wasn't this easy to split up a family.
It was later that night, where Shirou Emiya found himself scrolling the internet on a... tablet. A small, flat screen the size of a book, that contained access to more knowledge that was humanly possible. Kiritsugu hadn't raised a luddite, Shirou was well versed in technology... from 2004. Not 2116. Which was why he was on this device, studying the world he and Miyu had found themselves in.
The official story of this world was that a Luminescent Child was born to a couple in Qing Qing City, China. Shortly thereafter, an outbreak of abilities appeared in a wide variety of individuals. Adults, children, babies, across all ages, strange abilities that began to be known as Quirks appeared. They could be identified back to a Quirk Factor, a genetic manifestation of the Plus Alpha Elements contained within those who had Quirks.
The leading theory was that a viral outbreak had somehow triggered the next step in human evolution, which was seemingly confirmed over the next generations as they were born with more tougher, streamlined bodies, correcting many issues that the former standard Homo Sapien body had. Over the course of a few years, the ordinary had been replaced with the extraordinary.
...Of course, anyone with knowledge of the world of magecraft would know that the Mage's Association would be the first to suppress this kind of knowledge and manifestation. Which they did, according to Touko Aozaki. The second they could, Enforcers from the Association seized the Luminescent Child and initiated a Sealing Designation. No one knows what happened to the Child past that point.
However, Quirk Liners still appeared. The Mage's Association would move fast to imprison them, only for more to appear. The new age of social media made it impossible to hide the supernatural events that occurred around these people. The Mage's Association fell into a panic, fearing that mystery would soon vanish.
The Wandering Sea fully vanished without a trace, and the Atlas Institute went into full overdrive, working to prevent the "End" of the world that their First Director saw. Meanwhile, a civil war erupted at the Clock Tower, the Aristocratic Faction looking to crush all of the Quirk Liners that they could find to preserve the mystery, while the Democratic Faction looked to adapt to the new world order.
It was with this adaptability that led to their victory. The second generation Quirk Liners and beyond began to exhibit stronger Magic Resistance, making the Aristocratic Faction's efforts more and more worthless. The Democratic Mages, meanwhile, allied themselves with the various governments across the world, as well as the Quirk Liners that the Aristocratic Mages were hunting. The tides turned, and soon the oppressors were the ones being oppressed.
The Democratic Faction, managing to bring the Neutral Faction to their side, formed a new organization, the Neo-Mage Association. While searching for the Root and preserving mystery remained as important missions, they also made sure to manage the supernatural so that any peculiar events were blamed on Quirks. Any mages that crossed the lines established were taken care of. Especially those that allied themselves with the newly coined Old Mage's Association, who still wanted to uproot and destroy the world of Quirk Liners.
This was part of the reason Shirou and Miyu had to hide their backstory. Even trying to claim that a Quirk had brought them from another world would have disastrous consequences, as it could lead investigators into figuring out how such a Quirk would exist. Or, paint a target on their back that the Old Mage's Association would gladly hunt.
Which was why Aozaki helped forge the cover story that the Emiyas would be using. It was a complete rush job, but Aozaki would be contacting the Second Owner here who had some contacts that would solidify the backstory and manage any missing details. All the payment Aozaki would need from Shirou was a couple of Noble Phantasms to examine.
Shirou had thought that to be odd, since the Touko Aozaki he had learned of during his travels with Kiritsugu had been a master puppet crafter. He was sure that some sort of experiment on his own body would have been the price tag, and he was willing to do anything besides vivisection or the like. However, when asked, Aozaki just said that she wasn't allowed to do anything beyond healing her patients and maintaining private information between herself and the client. Something to do with a Geas Contract she had signed ages ago. She couldn't even make a new puppet, which Shirou found interesting. What had caused her to forsake her craft?
Regardless, her Noble Phantasms would have to wait. He could still Project them just fine, but doing so was an exceptionally bad idea. Shirou had realized during his fight with Angelica that everytime he fought, his body was being invaded by the Heroic Spirit EMIYA, but hadn't realized to what extent that was true. Every Noble Phantasm that was contained within Shirou's Unlimited Blade Works was still being imported from EMIYA. His Reality Marble was still manufacturing all of the legendary blades, taking its own time so that the Counter-Guardian wouldn't overwrite his own existence. Shirou could absolutely cheat and just Project the Noble Phantasms from EMIYA's Reality Marble, but that would lead into complications.
One Noble Phantasm from EMIYA would leave him drained, even with the mana that Miyu was supporting him with through their connection. It was akin to doing a personal record on a deadlift, you could have all the energy in the world after, but your arms are still going to hurt afterwards. Shirou would need to wait and recover before doing another Noble Phantasm, roughly two days or so.
Doing a second Noble Phantasm within that time would overly stress him. If he did so, Shirou would need to stop Projecting for the entire day to avoid feedback, and the more he did Project the worse it would get. Any physical activity would also do more harm than good in this state.
Aozaki only warned him about what would happen if he did three to ensure he kept to these rules. He would pass out again, and possibly damage his Magic Circuits and Quirk Factor so badly it could cause irreversible damage. There was no guarantee that he would miraculously wake up again as fast as he did the last time.
That being said, there were some upsides to the situation. Kanshou and Bakuya were exempt from the Noble Phantasm rule, as Shirou had used them so much during his war to save Miyu that they were fully settled into his own Reality Marble. As Shirou continues to work on and Trace the other Noble Phantasms within EMIYA's Unlimited Blade Works, those blades will also begin to settle, making them easier and easier to Project without drawbacks. Once Aozaki had gotten over her amazement that Shirou had a Reality Marble, she called him a right bastard for having such a simple path to expanding his meta-abilities.
In addition, Quirks weren't just ultra-specialized Magic Circuits, they were also physical abilities that could be trained the way one trained their muscles. Shirou's Quirk, that was to be labeled as Arsenal Projection, streamlined the Projection process to be something his body did naturally, allowing any of the weapons stored in Shirou's Unlimited Blade Works to flow more naturally and without using his own Magic Circuits, allowing those Circuits to be focused on his own Reinforcement Magecraft.
Overall, it seemed as though he was tailor made for this world of Professional Heroes, as opposed to his sister Miyu. Her own Quirk Factor was likely something to do with Projection. She was also able to Project objects, mostly the balls that she played with her mother before the 4th Ainsworth Holy Grail War. However, those Projections followed the normal rules of Gradation Air, fading the second Miyu's mind stopped focusing on them, rather the semi-permanent productions that Shirou can make. She also used her Magic Circuits to Project these balls, not her Quirk Factor. Doctor Aozaki could tell that her Quirk Factor should do something similar to what Shirou could do, but the two mages had no idea what 'storage' Miyu was using in place of her own Unlimited Blade Works.
Shirou heard a door click from the outside, and immediately put his tablet to the side. There would be time to think about this situation later. Doctor Aozaki had finally retired to bed, so it was time to move. While he was grateful for Doctor Aozaki's work, and would repay her, it was best to disappear for a while.
When Saber Shine had returned to take Arturia home, the older Pro-Hero had waited behind for a minute to inform the Emiya siblings that the social services would be there in the morning to take care of them. Shirou had figured out in short order what Saber Shine had meant. He was seventeen years old, basically old enough to be left on his own, but not with his fourteen year old sister. They were going to be separated, which they were not about to allow.
Softly moving off the bed, Shirou had managed to Trace a new copy of his original outfit, leaving the tattered original behind. Thankfully, while the clothes wouldn't remain in Unlimited Blade Works, the Reality Marble could reproduce them. As long as they didn't tear, they'd be fine, and Shirou had reinforced them to ensure that didn't happen.
Shirou moved softly over to the futon where Miyu had gone to sleep earlier. Gently waking her up, Shirou kept a finger to his lips to remind Miyu of the plan. Thankfully, Miyu had always been a quick riser, and had gone to sleep in some regular clothes, not the extra sleepwear that Arturia Pendragon had left behind. In fact, all of the clothes that Miyu had borrowed was folded nearby, with Miyu being dressed in the Reinforced Traced copies.
Once Miyu was ready to go, the two siblings moved softly, checking out the door. The coast seemed clear, so Shirou opened it softly, then started to head for the outside door. A loud creak caused Shirou and Miyu to whip around, seeing Doctor Aozaki holding a cup with some hot beverage in it.
"Nice try, but you aren't going anywhere," Aozaki took a sip, "This is your one warning. Go back to bed."
"Doctor Aozaki, you know our story," Miyu pleaded, "They aren't going to let me stay with my big brother, not under these conditions!"
"You're probably right, and I can understand where you are coming from," Aozaki's reply was cool and dispassionate, "That being said, my Geas is to ensure that all of my patients from the Hero Public Safety Commission are given their full care. Letting two teenagers out into the dead of night during the winter would be going against that."
Shirou guided Miyu behind, readying up Rule Breaker to be Traced. It had been one day after all, and Rule Breaker would work very well for this situation, "So, you won't turn a blind eye to this?"
Aozaki scoffed, "I literally can't, you should know how the Geas works. Now go to bed. I'm sure the situation will work itself out."
Shirou stared her down, "My experience tells me otherwise," he immediately went to Trace Rule Breaker, intent on using it to immediately destroy the Bounded Fields. Then it was time to use Kanshou and Bakuya to flee into the night. He'd hit Aozaki enough to not hurt her, but knock her out.
Only, Aozaki didn't react the way he thought. Instead of activating her Bounded Field she had, she simply reached up, closed her eyes, then pulled off her glasses. The second she opened them, just as Rule Breaker was in his hands, Shirou felt his body seize up. He tried to flush mana through his system to throw off the Mystic Eyes she was using, but to no avail. How was she doing this?
Doctor Aozaki simply walked up, and plucked Rule Breaker from his hand, "Thank you kindly for making this for me, though you should have waited. Your body hasn't quite healed yet, especially since you haven't rested enough. So for now, sleep."
Shirou and Miyu both collapsed to the floor, like puppets on a string, passing out immediately. Touko Aozaki glanced at the Noble Phantasm in her hands, then looked down at the two siblings. "It's strange to see a sibling bond as strong and as positive as yours. It makes you wonder if..." she shook her head, casting those memories away, "For now, rest. I'm sure that someone will adopt the two of you together, if only to have access to your trove. Perhaps it will be the Second Owner, or someone within the Safety Commission. Either way, coming to this world was a mistake."
Gawain stared at the Moon, holding a cup of hot chocolate while he stood at his porch. It was ironic, the Sun was what gave him his power, yet it was the Moon that brought his thoughts clarity. He could play dumb, acting as if it was a strange quirk of his, but he knew the truth. He knew what had inspired this trait he had.
It was under the moonlight when he first met his wife, just out of the Hero Academy he attended. He had gotten out of emergency care for his first serious day on the job. Nothing serious, but he had taken some hits harder than he needed to. As he was headed home, he came across a young woman fighting off some thugs. He had meant to go help, even though he wasn't powered up, but she had taken care of things quickly. The speed and efficiency that she did so was breathtaking, and Gawain knew he was a sucker from that moment forward.
Altria Pendragon, or as her Pro-Hero name was, Lance Lioness. Her Quirk was Atmo Spear, where she could twist the air around her into lances that she could use in a variety of ways. Her costume was a blue leotard with white leggings, and small bits of armor on her arms and legs, a fur lined red cape draped around her shoulders. The second she had finished, she had seen him, nodded, then took off, leaving him to call in the thugs.
Later on, they had met up during another situation, and had worked well together. Altria then invited Gawain to join her agency, the Round Table. The more they worked together, the stronger their feelings became. They often went on dates at night, both because that's when Gawain was available, as well as Altria's fascination with the Moon. They had even gotten married under the moonlight, as cheesy as that was.
Gawain shook his head. Getting lost in nostalgic memories wouldn't help now. He still needed to address the situation with the Emiyas. His report was due in the morning, and with it, his decision on whether he'd take them in or not. Gawain felt as if he was being torn in two.
Taking in these two likely would just be an awkward three years as Shirou went through U.A. or whatever Hero Academy he went through. The worst case scenario was that it would be dangerous for his family, whether by an attack from these Ainsworths, or from within, the attack coming from Shirou. Gawain didn't think the kid would attack unprovoked, but the kid was also hiding a lot. Gawain could relate, but Hawks wasn't completely wrong in approaching this situation.
That being said, Gawain knew why his kids were so anxious to ensure that these kids stuck together. After Altria had... passed away, Gawain had fallen into a stupor. He was able to provide and do the bare essentials, but Gawain wasn't proud of the despair or the depression he had fallen into with her passing. Thankfully, Lance and Kay were able to help, as Arturia was also a mess, but it wasn't hard to notice that things weren't quite right at the Pendragon household.
Especially when you were family. Morgan Pendragon, Altria's sister and Julian Kaiser's wife, and one of the founders at P.U.C.K., had always had a strange interest in Arturia. Gawain and Altria had merely assumed it to be a regular Aunt and Niece sort of relationship, but that had gone out the window with Altria's passing.
Declaring that with her sister's death, the Pendragon household was not fit to raise this young girl, Morgan had sued for custody rights, claiming to be able to give Arturia the right form of upbringing. This had snapped Gawain out of his stupor, but the legal fighting were rough, and it was only after months of litigation, Arturia being separated from both families for a time, and Morgan's own family pushing back against this that had snapped Morgan out of whatever grief-fuelled scheme she had in mind.
As an olive branch, Julian had purchased the Japanese style manor that the Pendragons now lived in. Since Julian and Morgan had already moved to Japan for P.U.C.K., Julian saw it as a good compromise. It brought the Pendragons closer to their cousins, while giving them a fresh start. Gawain and his kids had decided to take it, and had been rebuilding that relationship with Julian, Oberon, and Mordred. Less so with Morgan, who's own pride didn't allow her to give an apology. Still, she was cordial, and was no longer a threat to Arturia.
But that separation... It left Arturia with a sensitivity to family drama and separation. Gawain had supposed that she had felt safe enough these last few years, but the Emiya case had clearly shown that to be false. Which now left Gawain in a rough spot. Did he take in the Emiyas, with all the risks that entailed? Or leave them to the Safety Commission, allowing both families to hurt in the aftermath. Gawain sighed, then took another swig of the sugary beverage.
Gawain then turned his head as footsteps creaked across the wood flooring. Arturia came around the corner, clearly trying to sneak out here. Dressed in her full body pajamas and her hair in a ponytail, Arturia was holding her blue acoustic guitar. Gawain had known that she would occasionally sneak out here and practice when she couldn't sleep, and had allowed it to let her have some small feeling of rebellion, but he was surprised that she would do it tonight.
Arturia had frozen the second she saw him there, sipping his drink. Gawain kept one eyebrow raised as he slowly drank his beverage, only stopping when she tried to sneak away, "Hold on, you're already busted," she sagged, gently resting the guitar in her hands on the ground. She then lifted her best puppy dog eyes at him. Damnit, she was too good at that. Gawain sighed, "Go put that away, you can play later. You can come have some hot chocolate with me."
Arturia zipped away to put the guitar away, while Gawain chuckled. He went into the kitchen, making another batch for himself and his daughter. She came back quickly, waiting impatiently as he finished. Once it was done, he handed her a mug, and they stood there, sipping for a minute.
Arturia clearly enjoyed the drink, but Gawain could see the emotions that were waging war across her face. Deciding to speak up, Gawain stated, "You know they were lying, right?"
Arturia stopped for a second, then nodded, "Yeah, they were hiding details and making up stuff to fill out the gaps," she took a sip, "But I think Miyu and Shirou have a reason to do so. A pretty good reason."
Gawain grunted, "I can understand that, but that doesen't change the fact that taking them in is dangerous," Arturia snapped her head to her father, "They're two teenagers, Shirou with one of the most dangerous Quirks I've seen. He claims that his sister was kidnapped by some criminal group and he fought them off to save her, which may mean they will seek retribution against him, and therefore us," Gawain took another sip, "Not to mention he's your age, Arturia, and I'm not exactly wanting to encourage any funny business here."
Arturia scoffed, "Well first of all, I'm not stupid. I'm waiting till after the Academy for any 'funny business,'" she made a face at her dad, who made it back to her, "Even if he did try anything, my own strength can easily kick his ass, right?"
She had a point. Her Quirk was a mutant cross between his own Solar Empowerment and Altria's Atmo Spear. Atmo Burst not only allowed her to use the air as the fuel for her own enhancement, unlike Solar Empowerment which required the Sun during specific hours, but also allowed her to generate a small wind shield around herself. If one didn't know Gawain and Altria better, they would accuse them of Quirk Breeding to create a potent Quirk worthy to challenge All-Might one day.
Arturia continued her argument, "And besides, even if these Ainsworths do come after them, he's already beat them before, right? And that's without us helping. If we worked together, they wouldn't stand a chance. But if we let them go... who knows what will happen to whatever poor family that adopts Miyu without knowing she's a target."
Gawain gave her a strange look, "...Are you arguing to be bait for these Ainsworths?"
Arturia shook her head, "No, I'm saying that if we know an attack is coming, we should have the target be in a castle, not in a random village." Gawain wasn't sure her logic was sound, but he had already figured that she was throwing everything at the wall for this.
"Arturia, you have to be honest with yourself. You don't want to see them separated because it reminds you too much of what happened with Morgan, doesn't it," Gawain took a sip as Arturia stopped, then frowned. Her father continued, "It is a good thing to care, but we can't act on emotion here. If we do take these kids in, it's going to be a rough journey."
Arturia stared into her nearly empty cup, "I know... I shouldn't be this emotional about this, I get it. But," she looked into Gawain's eyes, "Don't you think that if Mom was here, she would have taken them in?"
It was Gawain's turn to stop, then consider it. Yeah, Arturia was right. Altria would have taken in these two kids already. While she had never used the Robin Ward Laws to adopt anyone in life, Gawain also knew his wife well enough to know that in this case, "Yeah, she absolutely would have," Gawain turned away, then sighed, "Are you sure you want them as roommates?"
Arturia frantically nodded, "Yeah, Miyu was really fun and smart to talk with, and how she describes Shirou makes it sound like he can fit in here. He can give Lance and I another training partner, and I can have a little sister in this male-dominated home." Gawain snorted at his daughter's line, and she chuckled in response.
Gawain sighed, then took Arturia's empty cup and washed it out alongside his own, "If you sure, then alright. Lance and Kay seemed to be for it as well. If they don't have arguments against it in the morning, we'll do it. We'll take in the Emiyas."
Miyu jolted awake when Doctor Aozaki placed her hand to the younger teen's forehead, removing the enchantment. As she shot up and looked around, she didn't quite hear what Doctor Aozaki said, "Wait, what did you say?"
Doctor Aozaki just sighed, "You have a visitor." She turned to where Shirou was, dispelling the enchantment on him. Shirou went to Trace a sword, only for Aozaki to point a lit cigarette at him, "Don't. Trust me, you are going to want to be on your best behavior for now." She strolled away, clearly going to let whoever it was in.
Miyu moved over to Shirou, who sat up on the bed. The two siblings checked the clock, saw that it was about mid-morning, then sighed. Miyu looked up to Shirou, "Do you think this is it?" she asked, voice strangely calm.
"We'll see. Even if it is, we'll figure things out," Shirou said resolutely, jaw set in determination, "We'll figure out a way to meet back up, I promise."
"Yeah, this won't go the way the Safety Commission thinks it will," Saber Shine stated as he walked in, holding his laptop. The two siblings blinked, surprised at the apparent visitor.
Miyu was the first to speak up, "Saber Shine? I thought you needed to be doing hero work by now." The aforementioned Pro-Hero nodded his head to her.
"Typically, yes. However, I'm choosing to take the day off today for some paperwork that needs to occur," Saber Shine looked over the two siblings, took a deep breath, then began to talk, "I'm not going to beat around the bush. I'm sure that you have figured out with Hawks having called the Safety Commission's Social Services..."
"They'll want to separate us into different group homes," Shirou replied, barely able to keep himself from snarling, "What's the point of this discussion?"
Saber Shine raised an eyebrow, then took a deep breath, "I know how angry you must feel," he raised a hand before the siblings could respond, "My own kids were almost separated, when Arturia was much younger than you were, Miyu." Those words pacified the Emiyas, as they realized that Saber Shine might be here as an ally.
Miyu spoke up, "So, how did you keep together then? What can we do?" Saber Shine responded by opening his laptop around, then showing some paperwork.
"How we stayed together isn't relevant to you two. You may learn that story later, but for now, listen to this: Under the Robin Ward Laws, I, as one of the Pro-Heroes, can adopt any group of kids that were involved in a traumatic hero experience. The downsides are that one of you two will need to train to become a Pro-Hero and serve for about two years."
The Emiyas' eyes widened as Saber Shine finished up his message, "I'm offering you a choice. You can either be adopted by some strangers, separated but being able to do whatever you want, or you can be adopted by me, and one of you will become a Pro-Hero. I wish that I could give you more options but..." Saber Shine cut himself off as Shirou's head fell, and the redheaded teenager started chuckling. The Pro-Hero hadn't seen this reaction coming.
Miyu knew why though. She remembered some of the stories Shirou had told of his travels with Kiritsugu. The most important story being when Shirou's original family had fallen to a major disaster in Shinjuku. There, when he was ready to die, Shirou had been saved by Kiritsugu. Later on, in the hospital, Shirou had been given a choice. "I'll ask you directly. Which would you prefer? To go to an orphanage, or to be adopted by this man you've never seen before?"
This situation was a repeat, a remix of that day for Shirou. The disaster that had torn his family apart. The Hero that had saved him, and was offering his home. The instruments were different, as Saber Shine wasn't Kiritsugu, and Shirou had Miyu alongside him now, but the melody seemed to be the same.
Shirou looked at her, and Miyu nodded her head. She was worried about this world, a world of Pro-Heroes who fought against both disasters and Villains. The guilt that Shirou must have felt for them arriving here, in a world where he was perfect to fulfill the dream he had already abandoned, was immense. Yet, Miyu had already decided to support him. She knew that that dream was still somewhere within his heart, and this time, she wouldn't be a burden. She would help him become a hero.
Shirou turned back to face Saber Shine, "Are you sure you want to take in two teens with a lot of baggage?" Saber Shine snorted, then cocked his head to the side.
"Are you sure you want to come live with a Pro-Hero and his three kids who have baggage of their own?" Saber Shine, no, Gawian shrugged, "If you want, we'll find a way to make this work."
Miyu and Shirou nodded, "Then, we'll be in your care." They bowed, then started working on the paperwork. As they finished and left Aozaki's medical practice, Miyu gave a sigh of relief. She knew then, everything would be okay.
"Wait, WHAT?" Hawks yelped into the phone. He had arrived in the afternoon alongside one of the Safety Commission's social workers. Instead of letting them in to see the Emiyas, Doctor Aozaki simply told him to call Saber Shine. So he had, and Gawain had responded with something that was clearly insane, "Can you repeat that?"
"I took the Emiyas in. Arturia was very distraught at the idea of separating the two, and my sons happened to back up her arguments," Gawain responded, and Hawks could just see the smugness on the older Pro-Hero's face, "Right now I'm getting them some essentials. Thankfully, Shirou shares a size with Lance and Kay, so they have some leftover clothes they can lend. They still need their own phones, toiletries, and other essentials."
Hawks put a hand to his forehead, bewildered that this had happened, "Are you really willing to take in these two teenagers? Their situation is really complicated, we should..."
"And they want to be left together, as a family. My family wants to accommodate that," Hawks wilted as Saber Shine's commanding voice came through, "We can and will figure things out from this point on. Besides, since we've accommodated them, I'm sure whatever information Shirou still has on the Ainsworths he still has, he'll soon be willing to share with me. We know what we're getting into."
Hawks sighed, "Alright, then I'll support you where I can. Just be honest with me, are you sure you can handle this?"
Gawain gave the affirmation, "Yeah, we'll be able to do it," he paused for a second, then added, "By the way, everyone here knows that you tried to put the Emiyas into the foster system," Hawks sucked in his cheeks at that, and Gawain followed up with "I'm sure they'll get over it, but I would wait a bit before visiting, and maybe bring a nice treat."
"Hardy har har," Hawks grumbled as Gawain chuckled, and they ended the call. Hawks gave a glare to Aozaki, who just took a drag on her cigarette, amused. Hawks walked out of the building, bid the social worker a good day, then took off in flight, calling up the President of the Hero Public Safety Commission, "Hawks here, we have a situation with the Emiyas."
"We know, Saber Shine took them in under the RWL," the Madam President responded, "We allowed the adoption to go through." Hawks nearly hit a billboard at that statement.
"Wait, why? I thought the plan was to bring Shirou Emiya into one of our training facilities? Why would we allow him to go to the care of a foreign Pro-Hero?"
"You already have a connection with Saber Shine, thus allowing you to be able to monitor Shirou Emiya in addition to Saber Shine's activities," the response was as dry as it ever was with Madam President, "From all the intelligence we've gathered, it seems clear that separating the Emiya siblings was to be a bad idea. We were putting the stick before the carrot."
Hawks caught on, "So instead, Shirou and Miyu are allowed to live with Saber Shine, and I can ensure that Shirou maintains the course to become a Pro-Hero."
"Exactly. While I would prefer him to become one of our agents, ultimately any professional path will work. We just need to ensure that he doesn't go Vigilante, or worse, ally himself with any of the Villain organizations that are popping up."
Hawks nodded, even though she couldn't see, "Alright then. It'll be awhile before I can see the Pendragons, but I'll work to rebuild that relationship, and keep an eye on the Emiyas."
"Good. I'm sure he'll be a very useful weapon for us."
Shirou's eyes were wide, as was Miyu's, as Gawain drove into the driveway of their new home. That driveway being the only difference between the Pendragon residence, and the Emiya residence from the Other Side. As they entered the house, the uncanny feeling only intensified.
"Here we are," Gawain stated, carrying some of the bags. Shirou carried some more, and Miyu had the last one. "Welcome to the Pendragon home!" he turned to the teenagers, frowning at their expressions, "What's wrong?"
Miyu spoke up first, "This... looks like our old home." Gawain's eyes widened, as he glanced at Shirou to confirm it. Shirou nodded, and before Gawain could react, Miyu added, "But, it's warmer here. I can already tell."
Before Gawain could respond, Arturia came around the corner, calling out, "Oh, you guys are here already. How do you like it?" She was dressed in a sky blue dress. Gawain had already informed the Emiya siblings that he had excused his kids from school that day, so that they could get the house ready for the new guests.
Shirou responded to her, "It's a nice place, it just reminded Miyu and I of our old place," he caught himself looking into her nice, green eyes, "But as Miyu said, warmer. It'll be nice to live in a place like this that's actually full of people instead of just the two of us."
Arturia raised an eyebrow, smiling as she said, "Oh, this is just like your old place, huh? Must be fate, then. Come on, I'll show you two to your rooms. Shirou will be next to Lance and Kay, while Miyu will be in the room next to mine," the Emiyas nodded as they headed down the hall, following Arturia, with Gawain bringing up the rear, "After we get you guys set up, we'll probably need to decide what's for dinner."
Shirou responded to that statement, "Oh, Miyu and I can cook. We'd love to do that." It had been a long while since he had cooked with his sister, not since the Ainsworths had kidnapped her. It would be good to do so. Miyu's excited nod confirmed that for Shirou.
Arturia glanced back, "Wait, you can cook?" Gawain sighed as Shirou and Miyu confirmed their talent, "Well, we got to see how good you are."
"Arturia, we didn't bring them in to cook for us," Gawain stated, but Miyu turned to him and got the Pro-Hero with her puppy-dog gaze.
"Mister Pendragon, please? Big Brother and I are really good at cooking, and we like doing it." Her cuteness attack was super effective, causing Gawain to shake his head and chuckle.
"Hey, you can just call me Gawain. And... okay, if you two like cooking, you can do it." Miyu turned back to Shirou with a smile, one which he returned.
They were finally home.