Fumikage was very familiar with Daiki Yamashita's Quirk, Metal Pedal. The cycling motion he made with his legs could build speed faster and faster, especially when he was on his bike. Yamashita could easily outrun these two after school. Fumikage couldn't afford a fight here. He didn't need to succumb to one now. He just needed to bait the bullies' pride long enough to give Yamashita that opportunity.
Nobuhiko Okamoto dropped Yamashita to the ground and turned on his heels, getting right into Fumikage's face. The brat was so close Fumikage could smell the overpriced shampoo Okamoto used for his auburn hair. Their glares locked before Okamoto spoke, spitting every word out like sunflower seed shells.
"What are you squawking about? Can't you see Yamashita and I are just catching up?" Okamoto sneered, "Careful, buzzard. Wouldn't want you to end up like Icarus..."
His hand lit up with blue flames, the heat already palpable. Behind him, Masuda had stopped bouncing, static energy from Volt Step crackling in the air.
"Falling back to Hell where you belong."
Fumikage kept his glare leveled at Okamoto, but allowed Dark Shadow to slowly coil around his shoulders like a living omen. The shadows under the staircase began to deepen, thickening with every breath he took. Fumikage knew he should reign it in...
But that thought was quickly becoming lost to the darkness.
"Last chance, Okamoto," Fumikage growled, talons gleaming, "Walk. Away."
The moment hung for an eternity. No one knew who would make the first move.
Nobuhiko Okamoto was ready with a fist full of fire.
Toshiki Masuda had the voltage to knock out a horse.
Fumikage Tokoyami was ready to unleash Dark Shadow, showing them the Hell they were asking for.
Then the tension shattered.
Their teacher, Miss Akeno Watanabe, zoomed in behind Tokoyami. She seemed oblivious to the standoff, as she took a moment to scan the area. She locked onto Daiki Yamashita, then politely asked, "Oh, Mister Yamashita, I've been looking for you. My desk treadmill broke again, would you be a dear and fix it?" Miss Watanabe gave an apologetic smile, crinkling her big cheeks and setting off a twitch of her button nose and the golden fur that went from her face down her arms.
"Oh, uh, sure thing, Miss Watanabe," Yamashita bolted to his feet, and immediately took off for the classroom, almost activating his Quirk. Miss Watanabe carefully watched him go, then turned back to the rest of the group.
"Oh, what were you all up to?" Miss Watanabe asked, voice sweet as honey. Her tone was the same as every teacher asked when they thought a student had broken the rules, but the teacher lacked proof.
Okamoto hid his hands behind his back.
"Oh, nothing, Miss Watanabe. Yamashita, Toshiki, and I were just hanging out, when Tokoyami came here and started scaring us."
Masuda failed to hide a snicker as Fumikage frowned.
Miss Watanabe turned to Tokoyami, tilting her head, "Oh, dear, what happened to cause you to do that?"
Fumikage managed to wrangle his voice in order to calmly state, "I was headed up to the roof when I saw..."
"We were just roughhousing, Miss Watanabe," Okamoto cut in, "Tokoyami just took it the wrong way. We were just messing around and he decided to be the fun police."
Miss Watanabe sighed, "If that's what happened, then I'll have a small talk with Mister Tokoyami here. How about you two go get lunch? The afternoon classes are important too, you don't want to do them on an empty stomach."
The two bullies left immediately, their smirks not as subtle as they pretended to be. Fumikage took a deep breath, then turned to the teacher. Her face was one of gentle understanding. Her voice lacked the scolding tone he was expecting, "They were picking on Yamashita again, weren't they?"
Fumikage paused, comprehending the situation at hand, "You knew."
Miss Watanabe glanced to the side, her whiskers twitching, "Yamashita had told me in confidence, yes. It's why my desk treadmill seems to always need repair. It's a way for him to get away from those two boys. Young Yamashita can work quietly on fixing it, and burn off any stress he still has. His father and I came up with this arrangement in private, so I hope you can keep it to yourself."
"Why aren't Okamoto and Masuda expelled then? It's not just Yamashita that they're harassing!" Fumikage's voice was thick with fury. Dark Shadow was getting agitated again, and he had already let his control slip too much today. He didn't want to cause another incident again. After that display, he was struggling to find reasons to care.
Miss Watanabe said nothing. She took his wrist as gently as a sparrow, and guided him away from the shadow of the staircase. Now they were in the bright hallways that were bursting with students going to and fro.
Fumikage took a deep breath in, and held it for four seconds.
Then he released it for four seconds.
In for four. Out for four.
He did this a few more times, and managed to get his breathing back under control.
Dark Shadow retreated, her presence melting into a gentle silhouette. Instead of the storm, Dark Shadow now exuded the calming peace. Like that of shade under a burning sun.
Miss Watanabe finally responded, a sad tone ringing through her voice, "Mister Okamoto and Miss Masuda are very influential figures on the school board. They have the power to protect their children from the consequences that the rest of us would share," Her ears flattened against her head, shame evident in her voice.
"The children are nothing more than heroes-to-be. Regardless of who would object." Fumikage released a sigh as he saw the exhaustion behind Miss Watanabe's kind smile. She had put up with this for far too long.
"I know it isn't fair. Life often isn't."
Fumikage shook his head, "I apologize, I'm not in the mood for life sayings right now," Fumikage picked up his bento box, forgotten in the haze of everything. Thankfully, while it was shaken around, nothing was lost.
Fumikage turned back to Miss Watanabe, his voice flat and emotionless, "Is there anything else?"
Miss Watanabe softly shook her head, "No, dear. Just be careful around them. In a few months, you'll be attending U.A. Academy, right? Just focus on your school work for now. You'll be a hero soon."
Fumikage didn't bother to respond.
He headed up to the roof. The cold air, native to the last week of February, felt refreshing to Fumikage's skin. The plumage of his feathers trapped heat a little too well with their black coloring, so this kind of weather was more conducive to being active.
He sat against the door to the roof, allowing Dark Shadow to stretch out into the shade. He opened up his bento box, staring at the untidy food. With slow, mechanical movements, he began eating, occasionally passing bites of the meal to her with his chopsticks.
How Dark Shadow ate, and what she did with the food, was a question neither of them wanted answering.
The meal was silent, as it often was. Fumikage and Dark Shadow often preferred to eat their meals in peace. It was better to be alone in tranquil silence than in the loud cafeteria.
Then, against her usual nature, Dark Shadow suddenly spoke up, " We should have taken them down immediately. "
Fumikage turned to look at her, his silent gaze enough to ask the question he had.
" No one would miss them, except their awful parents, " the tone she added that comment in was flippant. Innocent of the cruelty it possessed.
"No, no one would miss them," Fumikage agreed with a sigh, "No one would."
Everyone else is too busy being as awful as they are. Scrambling over classmates, selling out friends to get higher on the social rung. It was awful. For a society based on heroes, it was pathetic.
" Exactly, so we put them in their place, and then we will get left alone! We can finish training for the entrance exam in peace! " Dark Shadow was very eager on this topic, her heart laid bare. Fumikage couldn't blame her.
Fumikage, however, rejected the notion. "If we did that, there wouldn't be an entrance exam. We would be locked up faster than All-Might could say 'I am here!"
He sighed, looking up at the wispy clouds, "It would accomplish nothing but ruin four people's lives."
His hand reached for the choker around his neck, "No, that isn't the way." His thumb started playing with the red wrappings.
"It's like what Dark Crystal says, 'I'll prove myself better than the monster I fear I am.'" In his mind's eye, he saw the Moonlit Heroine, the Pro-Hero he had the most respect for.
Dark Shadow settled back down, nuzzling into him while remaining in the shade.
Fumikage closed his eyes in resolution.
"That's what we're going to do."
Izuku Midoriya was working on Takoba Beach. It was the weekend, with two weeks before the entrance exam, and he wasn't sure if he was going to be able to finish on time. People continued to illegally dump here, and the fight between Emiya and those thugs had caused some serious damage. Debris and patches of glass were scattered all over, a dangerous result from the fight. Walking around without shoes, a favored pastime of beach goers, was too dangerous to do here.
Still, Izuku knew he wasn't alone in this. A few days after the attack, Izuku started noticing that stuff left near the shoreline one day was stacked with garbage ready to be taken away. Izuku had asked All-Might if the garbage company the Pro-Hero had hired was going beyond their duty of carting away the garbage. But the garbage company had more than enough other jobs to do elsewhere. They weren't wasting time helping Izuku with the trash here.
Izuku bit his lip. It may be the Emiyas. Shirou had promised to help, and someone was mysteriously helping him. It seemed easy enough to put together, but Izuku didn't know that for sure, and the questions ate away at him. Izuku knew he needed their subject alone. But the questions of their fate still ate him up inside. It wasn't healthy, and he knew that.
If, no, when he became a hero, Izuku wouldn't have time to worry over every single person he saved. He needed to be able to let them go when he had finished his job. Izuku hadn't considered how hard this aspect of being a Pro-Hero would be.
Yet, life continued on. Izuku was back to the grind. School during the days, with beach cleaning during the week. Alternating the kinds of trash he carried so that all of his muscles got stronger during this time. He was able to carry more and more, which was good. That way, All-Might's power wouldn't blast his limbs off when he got it.
Hopefully...
Maybe...
As Izuku was pushing a refrigerator up the hill, he felt the muscles through his shoulders, back, and arms push the large metal box. He felt his thighs, shins, and feet strain to climb the hill that the sand was on. He felt the breeze cool down his burning muscles, and the sweat dripping down his body.
He felt his foot slip, and his forehead slammed into the corner of the refrigerator.
Izuku yelped as he fell to the ground, applying pressure to his head to alleviate the pain. Of all the days to forget his ice pack... While he did have a high pain tolerance, he knew that he needed to expand that limit. He wasn't about to start banging his head against sheet metal or anything. But a Pro-Hero needed to be able to take the pain and keep moving forward.
Izuku was disturbed from his thoughts by feet pounding the sand nearby, and he turned his head to where the sound was coming. A young woman, about his age, was running towards him, black spiky hair in a ponytail bouncing in the air. She wore a red tunic-style dress with a frilly collar and a large belt across the front. It was swaying with her run, unlike the black leggings that clung to her legs.
Izuku blinked, suddenly struck with the fact a really pretty woman was approaching him. What did she want with him? He soon got his answer as she arrived and knelt down, handing him an ice pack.
"I saw you bang your head against that, are you alright?" The young woman asked, panting out the words. Izuku nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He took the ice pack offered and applied it to his head.
"Thank you," Izuku bowed his head in gratitude. She responded with a similar nod. Izuku kept the ice pack there for a minute, until the pain eased away. He then turned back to her, "Um, why did you have an ice pack on you?" Izuku's eyes widened, "Wait, I didn't mean to be rude! I was just surprised, since it seemed really random and convenient that you would arrive at this time with an ice pack, butthenwhoknowshowoftenthesekindsofoccurancescanhap..."
"Whoa, whoa, breath," The young woman put her hands forward, "Are you in distress? Are you suffering from a concussion" Izuku stopped himself, then shook his head.
"No, I'm alright. Sorry, I just ramble a lot." A habit he really needed to break. Even All-Might said it was creepy, and he was probably right. Letting his train of thought leave his mind like that isn't very heroic. Izuku sighed, "I was just curious, that's all."
The young woman nodded, "If you're sure... As for the ice pack, well..." She held out her hand, and Izuku heard a small, crackling noise. An ice pack emerged from her hand, as if by magic, "Most instant ice packs are just ammonium nitrate and water mixed together."
Izuku's eyes went wide, "Your Quirk allows you to generate objects?" Izuku pulled out his notebook and immediately scribbled that down, "That's awesome! Can you produce living matter, or just the basic chemical compounds?"
"Oh, um, the latter," the young woman tilted her head, "As long as I know what I need to make for the object in question, I can use my Quirk to 'print' it using the lipids in my body."
"That's so cool!" Izuku scribbled down more notes, then stopped as he realized he didn't really have a name for her, "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm Izuku Midoriya." Izuku stood up and bowed in introduction. The young woman also stood up to return the gesture.
"I'm Momo Yaoyorozu. It's a pleasure to meet you, Midoriya." Yaoyorozu glanced down at the notebook, " Hero Analysis for the Future, Volume 17 ? Do you want to be a Pro-Hero?"
Izuku sheepishly hid away the notebook, but nodded, "Yeah, I do. That's why I'm here, training to enter U.A." Momo's eyes lit up.
"Ah, so you are preparing for the normal entrance exam, then?" Momo asked, somewhat rhetorically, "Interesting. I just came back from the recommendation exam myself.
Izuku gasped, "Oh my gosh, that's so cool! With your Quirk, it must have been a breeze!" Yaoyorozu chuckled, darting her eyes to the side, while Izuku rambled on, "Being able to make any tool for the job would put you at a huge advantage."
Yaoyorozu nodded, "Yes, well, it was very helpful in the recommendation exam. I should be grateful for the Quirk I've gotten. It gained me the advantage over most of the other competitors." She then cocked her head to the side, "But how does this help you with the normal entrance exam?"
"Oh, it's just muscle training," Izuku shrugged, "I use the different types of trash to exercise different muscle groups. It isn't glamorous, but working out here takes care of both the environment and my body, so it works out."
Yaoyorozu nodded thoughtfully, "Yes, that is an excellent usage of your time and energy." She turned to look out over the beach, which was looking much better than it had before. It still had a long way to go, though. "I'm assuming that you are doing this to develop your own Quirk?" She turned back to Izuku, "I'm curious, what can you do?"
Suddenly, Izuku wished that the Trigger gang would attack again. Crap... All-Might and Izuku hadn't talked about a cover story for One for All yet! Izuku stammered for a second, trying to come up with a solid cover story. If Izuku got into U.A., Yaoyorozu would likely be his classmate.
"Oh, well, uh, um, you know, it has to do with physical enhancements, but, uh," Izuku's hands were waving to the side, gripping the ice pack too tightly. His eyes darted around, trying not to meet hers. He knew dodging eye contact made him look suspicious. But what else could he do?
Izuku tried to get his mouth to stop rambling , but then his eyes locked onto something. Somewhat recessed into a pile of trash was an All-Might branded Ignition, a typical energy drink. The commercial flashed through his head, with All-Might saying at the end, " SURGE past your troubles with IGNITION, flavored with JUSTICE!"
Surge... All-Might said that One for All's power would surge through him and blast his limbs off if Izuku inherited it before his body was ready...
Yeah, that could work...
Izuku cleared his throat, then tried again, "Um, but, my, ugh, Quirk, it's called Surge." Izuku threw his hands like he was presenting a title card, accidentally launching the ice pack. Momo blinked back. Izuku gave a light chuckle, then sheepishly went to pick it up, continuing, "Um, like the name says, it's a surge of energy that boosts my actions, but if I were to use it right now, I'd hurt myself." Izuku contorted his arms in opposite directions as a visual aid, "My limbs could just go kaboom, then I wouldn't be able to save anyone, right?"
Yaoyorozu slowly nodded, "Yes, I could see how that would be a concern if you became a hero."
Izuku relaxed his posture and shrugged, "So that's why I'm here. So that when the time comes... I can use this power to become a hero." He put the ice pack back to his forehead. The pain was almost gone, but the cool feeling was nice.
Momo Yaoyorozu nodded, turning to face the ocean. The sun was low, casting shades of red against the blue sky and sea. The breeze was firm, but gentle, carrying with it a salty mist past them, tousling their hair. Yaoyorozu's gaze narrowed. She sighed.
"So, even with that kind of drawback, you would still risk becoming a hero?" Yaoyorozu asked, turning her stare back towards Izuku. She clenched the hem of her skirt, hesitating before asking "Even knowing there are others like me? Rivals who have better control over their Quirks? Who could do the job better, faster, and safer?"
Izuku blinked. The questions flew out of her mouth faster than All-Might's punches. They were just as brutal. Where did that come from? They were just talking about Quirks... and the recommendation exam.
Izuku cocked his head to the side, considering the young woman in front of him. Izuku then asked, in the most gentle tone he could muster, "Miss Yaoyorozu? How did you do on the recommendation exam?"
She let out a low, frustrated sigh, "Second place." Yaoyorozu sounded like she failed the exam, not snagged one of the four coveted recommendation slots. Her answer completely shattered what Izuku had been thinking. She turned back, looking out at the ocean.
Izuku tilted his head, "Okay... That's good, isn't it? You are basically guaranteed a spot this year." He fidgeted with the ice pack. It had served its purpose by now. His head felt fine, in large part thanks to Yaoyorozu.
The ice pack was a showcase of how skilled Yaoyorozu was with her Quirk. She must have been training for years to learn how to produce the different formulas and materials needed for different kinds of productions. She said that the ice pack was just ammonium nitrate and water, but she didn't mention how she had made the plastic case. It wasn't a simple plastic case, it had texture, and a nice fabric spot. That spot probably served to help prevent frostbite. Yaoyorozu had thought of everything.
She was amazing with this... like Kacchan was with his Quirk. Yaoyorozu was kind, much kinder than Kacchan. But Izuku could see the similarities in how well she had mastered her Quirk. The control, focus, grit that Kacchan had in his explosions, Yaoyorozu had for her creations. If Kacchan had gotten second place on the entrance exam... Izuku wouldn't want to be around for a few weeks. With Yaoyorozu... she may be turning that energy inwards.
Izuku knew how that felt all too well.
Yaoyorozu finally responded, "Yes, I managed to earn a spot. A spot that I wouldn't have gotten if I wasn't the first to go." Yaoyorozu turned to face Izuku, "I had been training for years. I got perfect marks in all of my classes. I have a strict dietary and exercising program that I stick to. I have memorized over a thousand different materials, compounds, and blueprints, all so I could go and be a hero."
Yaoyorozu let out a frustrated chuckle, "And my performance at the exam? It was perfect, perfect. Down to the minute detail. I did everything right, I had the right tools, the right answers, I knew how to handle everything like it was the back of my hand. I was glad that I was first so I could show everyone there how it was done."
Yaoyorozu was panting hard, teeth clenched, "But then... Toyotomi stepped up. Everything I thought I did well, she did better." Her voice grew louder and louder, frustration laced in every word, "She didn't waste time making tools or supplies for the different challenges, she already had them. Her timing was impeccable. Her actions were flawless. She had the perfect attitude. If I had to go after her..."
Yaoyorozu swallowed, taking a deep breath to control herself. Izuku held off, waiting for the young woman to finish her piece. Yaoyorozu released her breath, "I would have fallen apart. I would have second guessed everything and completely blew it. Can I even consider joining U.A.? I fell apart over an exam . How would I live with myself if I froze in the field, when people actually need someone to save them?" Yaoyorozu shook her head in exasperation, "Maybe I'm just not cut out for this."
"Stop that." Izuku snapped, then clapped his hand over his mouth in horror. Yaoyorozu turned back to face him, startled. Izuku pulled his hand away from his mouth, trembling. But he wasn't going to back down from this, "Miss Yaoyorozu, you were applying to learn at U.A. You aren't a Pro-Hero yet, so why do you act like you should be perfect already?"
"But the point of U.A. is to become a Pro-Hero," Yaoyorozu argued back, "How am I supposed to be an excellent student if I don't? Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect."
Izuku gritted his teeth, "So what? If you can't do something perfect on the first try, you just give up?" Izuku shook his head, "No, you keep trying! You push yourself to grow, and overcome your past self. That's why U.A.'s motto, why All-Might's motto, is Plus Ultra ."
" Go Beyond, Plus Ultra. " Yaoyorozu instinctively quoted back. She exhaled, turning back out to the ocean. Izuku took a deep breath, tasting the salt on the breeze. They stood there for a moment, silently watching the waves.
"I know what it's like to compare yourself to someone better," Izuku finally spoke again. Yaoyorozu tilted her head, considering his words. He continued, "I have a childhood friend. Well, former. He stopped being my friend a long time ago. He always told me that I can't be a hero."
Yaoyorozu turned back to face him, sympathies threatening to spill out of her lips, but Izuku pressed on, "He's amazing, really. He has a really powerful Quirk, and he's mastered it. He's on top of his studies, and he's incredibly clever. He can win at anything he puts his mind to." Izuku shrugged, "Right now, I can't beat him."
Izuku clenched his fist, "But that can change. It willchange." Izuku raised his gaze to meet Yaoyorozu, mustering every ounce of courage he has, "Kacchan isn't going to hold me down forever. I'm going to surpass him. I have made a duty, a commitment to myself to push myself forward. If I stumble, if I fall... I'm going to get back up. I'm going to keep pushing forward." Izuku nodded to Yaoyorozu, "You need to do the same."
Yaoyorozu broke eye contact, shifting side to side in the sand, "And if I freeze again? Fail those around me?" Izuku just smiled, and held up the ice pack.
"The only thing you froze was this, when you saw that I hit my head." Izuku handed it back to her, "I think you'll be fine." She took the ice pack, fidgeting with it. The quiet moment persisted for a moment, before Izuku's phone went off.
" THIRTY MINUTES LEFT, THIRTY MINUTES LEFT! " All-Might's booming voice erupted, causing Izuku to blush and quickly pull out his phone to shut it off. Yaoyorozu gave a small chuckle.
"You're a big All-Might fan, aren't you?"
Izuku rubbed the back of his head, "Yeah, you, you could say that." Izuku turned back to the garbage pile, then back to the young woman that was with him, "I... hope this chat helped. I need to hurry and finish this. The sun is going to set soon, and I won't be able to work on this after that."
Yaoyorozu frowned, and pointed to some street lamps by the road, "What about the street lamps? Would they be bright enough? Or do you need to leave for home by then?"
Izuku shrugged, "I wouldn't know. Since this beach has been trashed for so long, the city shut off the power to those. They've never turned on in the time since I've been here."
Yaoyorozu hummed, "Curious." She nodded to Izuku, then took some steps away. Izuku watched her for a second, confused at the abrupt end to their conversation.
He then took a deep breath, then released it, rolling his neck. It was time to get back to work. Izuku got back to the refrigerator he was pushing up. He got a good grasp on it, and started pushing it back up the hill.
Only to hear a strange crackling sound. Izuku let go of the fridge and turned to see what it was. Yaoyorozu hadn't moved that far, but she had undone the belt around her tunic dress and was holding it out pretty far. If she wasn't careful, she would risk being immodest. "Uh, Miss Yaoyorozu? What are you doing?" Izuku stuttered out, trying to be respectful while still getting an answer as to what she was doing.
Yaoyorozu didn't respond, as a metal pole dropped out of her dress into the sand. She started walking backwards, as more and more of that pole came out. Izuku realized she was making something... but what?
The answer arrived when the top of the pole fell out, which contained a large LED light, with solar panels on the top side. Yaoyorozu turned to the side, and two small cylinders fell to the ground with a thunk. She let go of her dress, smoothing it into place, then refastened her belt.
Yaoyorozu then grabbed the first cylinder, pulled on an edge, which caused it to extend into a set of feet. The other cylinder extended into a shade for the lamp, interlaced with polyester and metal. She assembled everything together, then turned a knob that was on the pole. The lamp lit up the beach.
"This is a portable lamp that my family likes to use when camping," Yaoyorozu explained, "The shade does a great job at making sure the light pollution is kept to a minimum. It's also solar powered, making it quite efficient." She turned to Izuku, "I've topped off the charge for now, but make sure you bring it when you start on the beach. That way you can work on the beach for much longer. Just make sure not to over do it."
"Oh, uh, thanks." Izuku was stunned. She had already helped him with the ice pack. This seemed a bit much, "You didn't have to-"
"Of course I did." Yaoyorozu smiled, "That's what classmates do, yes?" She turned to leave, "Keep the lamp, it should store easily. I'll see you at U.A." Then she left.
Izuku watched her leave, then glanced back at the lamp, "Well, if I'm going to talk the talk..." He got back under the fridge, grasping each corner, "Then I got to walk the walk. Time to go Plus Ultra." Thus, Izuku was back on the grind, pushing himself farther and harder. As the sun set, the light of the lamp allowed Izuku to keep pressing forward. Pushing himself and his body harder than he had been able to since the day with Miyu and Shirou.
It was two weeks until the entrance exam. Every minute was going to count.
It was the night before the entrance exam, and Shirou Emiya stood in the shed of the Pendragon house. It was both familiar and foreign. The same layout, the same smells, the same weight as his old shed-turned-workshop. The only difference was the types of things being stored. Shirou had stored things to try to fix and reinforce, while the Pendragons did have some keepsakes, along with tools and support gear for specific occasions. As such, Shirou had to be careful with what magecraft he practiced.
That suited him just fine. Shirou had already planned for what he was going to do tonight. He rolled up his left sleeve with his right hand, then rolled up the right sleeve with his left hand. Keeping his hand on his biceps, Shirou narrowed his eyes in focus. He drew breath in, and slammed the mental hammer within his mind, " Trace On... " he took a breath, a single beat, before declaring to the world, " I am the Bone of My Sword. "
It was interesting in how his Quirk interacted with his Reality Marble. The Quirk, Arsenal Projection, served as a near-flawless bridge between Shirou's inner world and physical reality. As such, the swords he had mastered, such as the various nameless swords, lighter mystic codes, and of course, his well-used Kanshou and Bakuya, didn't need the full attention of his magic circuits for Projection.
" Judging the concept of creation. " A sword of fire, meant to be only wielded by the well-born. A sword used by Rhydderch Hael, who would willingly offer it to anyone, but would always be rejected after the would-be recipient learned of its properties.
The same couldn't be said about his other Noble Phantasms. Doctor Aozaki had said as much before. Shirou was limited in how many Noble Phantasms he could project at a time. To expand that limit, he needed to train and properly learn these Noble Phantasms. Relying on EMIYA's Reality Marble wouldn't help him on his new path.
" Hypothesizing the basic structure. " It was a longsword made in the Welsh style, with a two handed grip wrapped in leather. Fit for a king, well used by a warrior. Rhydderch Hael was fond of this sword, and for good reason.
A wireframe appeared in Shirou's hands, shaped like the sword and glowing teal. The same shade of teal that Shirou's own circuits did. They were burning now, as was the cost to practice magecraft. Shirou continued to work, preparing the next step. He ignored the heat that was beginning to build up, causing his breathing to become more labored.
" Duplicating the composition material. " The blade was the purest steel, reflective of the heart needed to wield it. The crown-like crossguard and rounded pommel were of a golden alloy, strong enough for battle and ornate enough for the throne room. The hilt, from which the sword derived its name, was wrapped in white leather. It always remained pure and stain free.
The first set of details came into place. The silver blade filled in, followed by gold for the crossguard. Then came the sword's defining trait, the white leather that the hilt was wrapped in, came into place.
" Imitating the skill of its making. " The blade was forged long ago by Gofannon, a blacksmith and magus who served the great king Rhyddderch Hael. He forged the blade over the course of many weeks, laboring intensely to ensure the blade would be of a most prized quality.
Shirou wondered how Gofannon would have felt if he saw Shirou's Tracing abilities. Would he be awe-struck with how relatively fast Shirou could reproduce the blade? Or would he curse and despise the Faker? Shirou would understand that hatred. He felt it too.
" Sympathizing with the experience of its growth. " Rhydderch Hael received this sword from Gofannon on the fifth anniversary of his ascension to the throne. He wielded it in peace and in war, with a fair and just hand. When he eventually passed on, the sword joined with other artifacts, and became known as revered among the Thirteen Treasures of the Island of Britain.
This sword was well known for its ability to generate fire when wielded by one pure of heart. Shirou had witnessed this himself, when he brought it to bear against Angelica. But he had been acting as a villain in that case, choosing to save his sister all over the world. Why hadn't the sword set him ablaze? Did it lack the heart needed to judge him?
" Reproducing the accumulated years. " Each year, each month, each day, every second this blade existed during its tenure on Earth, was reproduced. Every nick, every polish, everything was remade and placed into the projection at hand.
The sword was almost finished. Shirou held his concentration, even as sweat beaded across his forehead and down his arms. Even as his arms started to burn from the heat of his magic circuits, Shirou remained focused. It was almost complete, it was time to finish the blade.
" Excelling every manufacturing process. " Unlimited Blade Works honed in on every detail, every aspect covered. Concept. Structure. Material. Crafting. Experience. History. All were brought together, and the blade was brought forth.
Shirou grasped the sword, now complete. A fire blazed forth, racing from the crossguard to the tip, illuminating the shed. Shirou pulled it close to examine it, then performed some practice swings left and right. He ended it by stabbing it into the ground, then let go. The blaze instantly vanished. Everything was complete. Shirou took in the sight of the sword, the Noble Phantasm, that he had made.
Dyrnwyn, the sword of White-Hilt, was completed.
At least, this copy was. Unfortunately, just like one couldn't cram for a test the night before and remember everything, Shirou wasn't done with Dyrnwyn. It would take many more projections and copies of the white hilted sword before Shirou could trace it as well as he could with Kanshou and Bakuya.
That was fine, Shirou was willing to study these blades until they became as familiar as his limbs. The process, as meditative as it was, helped to ground him in this strange new world he had found himself in. The process helped him to zone in and not worry about the various intricacies of the world of heroes. It wasn't archery, but it was close enough. He was ready.
At this point, it would normally be time to dispel the Noble Phantasm and head to bed. However, this one would be remaining. Shirou was careful in which Noble Phantasms he was willing to trade with Doctor Aozaki. The flaming sword Dyrwyn was perfect for this case.
Shirou grabbed the scabbard he had prepared beforehand, then knelt down in front of the sword. Carefully, he drew the sword from out of the ground, which immediately set the sword ablaze once more. He quickly but smoothly sheathed it within the scabbard, which was reinforced to shield from the flames. The second Shirou let go of the White Hilt, the flames receded, and the blade was cool to the touch.
With that, Shirou glanced around the makeshift workshop, checking to see if anything was out of alignment. He was only able to set up two bounded fields, a privacy one and a detection one. But they served their purpose, and their anchors were intact, unaffected by the magecraft done tonight. Satisfied with the state of things, Shirou turned to the door, and walked out into the cool night.
The air was cool and crisp, a soft breeze drifting gently through the air. The soft chirping of the wildlife echoed about, calling attention to the late hour. The moon was full, her glow gently casting light upon the yard. It was a beautiful night, one that was like a few similar to Shirou's memories.
The strumming of a guitar caught Shirou off-guard, startling him out of his train of thought. He looked toward the porch, and instantly saw the source of the music. It was Arturia, playing on her acoustic guitar. The melody conveyed a mysterious, ambient tone, one that somehow spoke to Shirou. Then, she started to sing.
" I can remember that day, that I witnessed in my dreams... From the shadows, my voice was lost. " Arturia's voice was crystalline, pure and simple. " Absorbing every wish, so they'll never fade away. For tomorrow, I'll move on, no matter the cost! "
Her eyes were closed, her blonde hair let loose around her face. " All of the pieces that scattered around, catching and holding them tight! " She wasn't pushing the song out; it flowed from deep within her heart. " Cradling your heart as it sways to my song... Leaping out into the endless night! "
Shirou stopped breathing, his limbs dangled by his side, as he listened to Arturia pour out her soul, " If there was someone right by my side... It won't grant me the peace I wished for within my mind! " The song was more than perfect. It was completely human. " Look deep within yourself to find out what you must do, and don't close your eyes to the truth! "
Arturia tapered off, staring up at the moon. The guitar resting in her lap. The blue pajama set, covered in a lion print, that she wore. Her hair let loose, framing her face. Her piercing green eyes, staring out into the sky.
"Beautiful," Shirou stated. That word broke the spell, as Arturia was startled until she saw him. Shirou panickedly added, "Uh, the song. The song was beautiful. Where did you learn it?"
"Oh, this? It's just a song I found a while back," Arturia shrugged. "I needed something to learn guitar with, and this was what stuck with me." She turned back towards Shirou, "Anyways, come on, hang out with me. It's a beautiful night, it would be a waste to spend it alone." She patted the space to her right, placing the guitar to her left.
Shirou chuckled as he walked up and took that seat. "Not sure your dad would approve of that saying," he joked as he sat down, resting Dyrnwyn between himself and the young woman, making sure to keep an appropriate distance from her. Shirou looked up into the night sky, focusing on the moon. "You nervous?"
"Excited, more, really. It feels like Christmas and Finals all at once." Arturia replied, also looking up at the moon. "Like, I'm ready for this to be over and to get into U.A. But this is the moment that my hard work has been training me for. I get to really cut loose and show the world what I'm made of. That's why I needed to come out here and relax." Arturia looked down at her guitar, "My playing helps me with that."
"That's good, hobbies like that are helpful," Shirou replied, "I used to do archery. The eight steps were really helpful to me, helping me to clear my mind and focus on what I need to do." Shirou shrugged, "Unfortunately, you guys don't have an archery set up here, but that's alright. I can do the same thing when I'm cooking with Miyu."
"Ah, is that the secret ingredient to your cooking? Your stress level?" Arturia smirked, and both teens fell into a fit of giggles for a minute. Two people enjoying the moment of comradery with each other.
As the laughter faded, Arturia's eyes landed on the sword placed between her and Shirou, "Oh, did you make this?" She grabbed the blade by the scabbard.
Shirou blinked, trying to be cautious, "Uh, yeah, that's what I was working on, but, wait don't- " Arturia drew the sword faster than Shirou could stop her. As intended, the sword erupted into flames. Arturia screamed before throwing the sword to the ground.
The blade was already cool before it landed. Arturia stared at the sword, then reached down for the hilt. The second she grasped it, the sword lit ablaze. Then she let go, and the sword extinguished itself. She repeated the test two more times, then picked up the sword. Staring at the blaze for a minute, she turned to Shirou, eyes widened, "Shirou... your sword catches on fire." Arturia whispered, voice in complete shock.
Shirou froze, trying to figure out a solution. He just accidentally revealed magecraft to someone who lived in the mundane world. Even if the Neo-Mage's Association was more ethical than the one from his old world, they wouldn't be pleased by this should they find out. But at the same time...
He didn't want to lie to Arturia again. It felt wrong to do so the first time, back at Aozaki's clinic. They had barely known each other then, now that he had spent the last several weeks here, lying was off the table. The Pendragons had done nothing but work to have a wonderful home for Shirou and Miyu to be a part of. They deserved better than more lies.
So, he had to tread a very careful line. He wanted, needed, to tell Arturia enough to satisfy her questions. But he couldn't reveal too much of the world of magecraft. Easier said than done.
Shirou locked eyes with Arturia, "Can you keep a secret?" Arturia slowly, methodically nodded. Shirou sighed. Here goes... everything, really. Shirou gestured to the sword, "That... is Dyrnwyn. The Sword of White-Hilt."
"Wielded by Rhydderich Hael, and first among the Thirteen Treasures!" Arturia caught on immediately, getting extremely excited. She grasped the sword with both hands, and took three steps back to swing it around, "I've read about this sword! It came from old Welsh legends, like my namesake, King Arthur!" She gave it a spin, flipping behind her back before bringing back to a two handed grip, "Where did you even find this? I thought you had to see a sword to copy it!"
Shirou stopped, realizing what he would have to say here. It wasn't going to be a lie, not fully... but it would still hurt. Arturia noticed his hesitation, calling his name. When he didn't answer, she planted the sword tip first into the ground. Then she sat back down, right next to Shirou. She carefully leaned in, gently making eye contact. "What's wrong, Shirou? What happened?"
Shirou took a deep breath, "When Miyu was kidnapped by the Ainsworths... I had no allies. I had no one I could rely on. No family, no friends, no heroes... No one could help me find Miyu and bring her home safely. Until, one day, my junior from the archery club stopped by. Her name was Sakura Matou."
"Sakura Matou," Arturia repeated back, rolling the name around. Shirou nodded his head. Arturia tilted her head, "How did she help you, if she was just a junior?"
"Sakura... had a gift. She was able to let me see the future version of myself," Shirou hated the misdirection, but it wasn't technically wrong to phrase it like this, "That other version of me had managed to make these copies, so when I saw them, I got them too. Though, I have to practice and learn how to make them, or I'll end up hurting myself."
"Whoa," Arturia blinked, stunned, "She was able to let you see your future self? That is insane Quirk, it would be so cool to see what I would be like in the future." She put a finger to her lips in thought, "What would you even call a Quirk like that, letting others see their future selves? Future sight?"
"Imaginary Around," Shirou uttered, before blinking. What the hell, that wasn't remotely Sakura's Quirk. Since, well, Sakura didn't have a Quirk. Where did that name come from? It didn't feel like the Holy Grail feeding him knowledge, which meant... It must have come from EMIYA. But why?
"Imaginary Around? Interesting name." Arturia nodded, "But I like it. I want to meet her someday, is she still at Alimango Island?"
"No, she's not," Shirou shook his head, "She... died. Her brother was involved with the Ainsworths, so when she helped me..."
Arturia's eyes widened in horror, "Her own brother killed her?" She growled, "What kind of degenerate monster was he?"
"He was a freak, that's for sure," Shirou grimaced, remembering the mass writhing of tendrils that the Matou brother had made just before Shirou had slain him. "He ripped out Sakura's heart, right in front of me. I couldn't save her. I failed to the moment I rejected her."
Arturia leaned back, tilting her head, "She... liked you, didn't she?" Shirou nodded. Arturia blinked, waiting for a moment, "Did you... like her back?"
Shirou clenched his fist, still feeling the cold scarf in his hands. The scarf that was tainted with her blood. "...Maybe... I could have. Once." Shirou sighed, "But, she knew what the Ainsworths wanted to do with Miyu. She wanted me to run away with her, for us to live a normal, happy life together, instead of trying to fight the Ainsworths."
Arturia fidgeted with her hands, "I see. I don't suppose I could blame her. Especially if her brother was willing to kill her for helping you." Arturia looked back up at Shirou, "You rejected her to save Miyu, right?"
"I did, and she still helped me," Shirou bit back a bitter sigh, "She tried to protect me from her brother, and as she lay dying, that's when I got the vision of my future self. I was able to use the skills of my future self to fight my way to where the Ainsworths were holding Miyu, and, well, you know the story from there."
"Yeah," Arturia breathed out, looking, back to the moon. They waited like that for a long time, letting the crisp breeze blow past. Arturia turned back to Shirou, "I wish I could have met her. The fact that she was willing to sacrifice herself to give you a chance to save Miyu... that is pretty heroic."
"Heroic," Shirou echoed, the word tasting ash on his tongue, "It was because Kiritsugu and I wanted to be heroes that this whole mess got started." Shirou put his hands over his face and leaned on his knees. He shook his head in frustration, "What in the world am I doing here?"
Arturia's eyes were full of concern, "Shirou? What's wrong?" She got off the porch and knelt in front of the redhead. She softly placed a hand on his forearm, right above his elbow, "Talk to me, please. Get it off your chest."
Shirou parted his hands so he could make eye contact, "I did... awful things to save Miyu. I..." Shirou took a deep breath, "I killed Sakura's brother. I killed others in the Ainsworths, just to get them out of the way. I even..." Damned my old world to die. Ran away when it needed help. Brought Miyu here instead.
Before Shirou could say those words, Arturia's other hand joined with Shirou's other elbow, and she knocked her head gently into his, "In." she commanded, then took a deep breath and held it for four seconds. Shirou forced himself to copy the action. "Out." she commanded, exhaling. Shirou did the same.
They repeated the exercise for a few minutes, sounding like the bellows to a forge. Soon enough, Shirou had calmed down, and Arturia leaned away, giving him some space. Shirou swallowed, then glanced away, "Um, so you know that..."
"Yeah, you had to take some lives to save Miyu," Arturia responded. She didn't sound thrilled about it, but Shirou noticed the lack of condemnation. Arturia continued, "Sakura's brother was one of them? I hate to admit it, but I'm kinda glad."
"He was," Shirou responded, "He was the first one I killed. Then I tracked down some other Ainsworth members to find out where Miyu was. I killed them too."
Arturia nodded, pondering carefully. She then asked, "Did you at least... try to talk them down?" It seemed like Arturia knew what the answer would be, with what else she knew about the Ainsworths at this point. Even so, Shirou shook his head.
"There wouldn't have been a point. They were ready for a fight the second I arrived." Shirou wasn't expecting Arturia's response to be a thoughtful nod at that statement.
"Well, if they wanted a fight the second you arrived, at least you weren't going around killing them in cold blood," Arturia turned her gaze to Dyrnwyn, staring at it for a long minute. She then turned back to Shirou, "This stays between us. I won't tell Dad or my brothers. You and I are the only ones who will know."
Shirou gaped at her, "You... don't see the problem? I killed people, just to save my sister. That's not very heroic."
Arturia frowned, "You saved your sister, that's heroic. You, unfortunately, had to take some lives in the process. That sucks, and I don't condone it. But I'm not going to condemn you either. Plenty of Pro-Heroes have had to go that distance in the line of duty before. I'm not going to hold you to a higher standard than that."
"Arturia, I killed five people to save one person," Shirou retorted, choosing to ignore the other consequences of saving Miyu. "That isn't how a hero should operate. I killed more than I saved."
"Being a hero isn't a numbers game," Arturia scolded, "Being a hero means doing the right thing, and saving who you can. Saving your sister was the right thing to do. Don't you dare regret it."
"I don't regret it," Shirou stood up, and Arturia rose to meet him face to face. Shirou continued, "I never will. If I'm put into that situation again, I will kill whoever I need to protect her. How can you call that heroic?"
"You don't think my dad wouldn't raise hell if I was in danger?" Arturia tilted her head, "Or Lance? Hell, I'm sure if something happened to me, you would come running, right? It's okay for heroes to have loved ones they want to protect." Shirou blinked in surprise, bewildered at the storm of words. Arturia continued, "There are times where the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. I've seen that first hand."
Arturia grabbed her left bicep with her hand, clenching tightly. Shirou recognized the gesture. She often did that when she was thinking about her mother, Lance Lioness. Shirou remembered that she had died in the line of duty.
Arturia continued forward, "But there are other times, when saving one life is more important than everything else. I know you, Shirou. I know we haven't known each other for long, but I know the kind of man you are. You are kind, you are patient. You don't rub it into my face when you beat me in a spar, you help me up. You help with dinner and chores every night, without being asked. You've been secretly helping that Midoriya kid with the beach, because of an off-handed promise you made him." Arturia leveled her gaze at Shirou. "You can try again."
Shirou looked to the side, chewing on her words. He gave a big sigh, then sat back down on the porch, before flopping down onto his back. He covered his eyes with his right hand. "Then what do I do? How do I become a hero, when I know I will save one person and doom ten to die?"
How can he be a hero, when Shirou knew he was such a damn hypocrite?
Arturia tilted her head down, "Well... you trust that someone has your back, and that they can save the ten." Arturia turned around, and walked over to grab Dyrnwyn. It had remained in the ground where it was left. The sword erupted into flames once more, bathing the yard in warm light. Shirou propped himself up on his elbows, confused about what was happening. Arturia planted Dyrnwyn back down, this time right in front of Shirou. She held onto the hilt, so the flames still burned.
"Let's make a promise, Shirou," Arturia declared, "We're going to the entrance exam tomorrow. We are going to ace it, and get the best scores we possibly can." Every word uttered held no room for disagreement. It was both a judgement and a catharsis, "We are going to U.A., and we're going to become heroes together. And no matter what impossible situations, no matter what tragedies we will see, we will save those that we can."
The pale moon behind her.
The stern face slightly turned down.
The pure green eyes peering into his soul.
The golden glow of the fire from the sword.
Her hair swayed with the warm air rising from the flames.
This instant lasted for an eternity. And long after this, Shirou would recall this moment. No matter the depths of hell that would bruise and batter the two teenagers in the coming year. No matter the trials and anguish that would arrive.
Shirou would always remember this moment, and the words that Arturia Pendragon would utter next.
"So, I ask you, Shirou Emiya. Are you ready to become a hero again?"