Chapter 1:
Perspectives
Pineshore was a remote settlement on the Vale coastline; a simple logging village with only the surrounding trees it derives its name from as a source of trade. It's population was small, and what little traffic it had was due to travelers and the rare hunter or two. All in all; it was an unassuming location that was easy to glance over.
The sun rose over the water and set over the pines. It was nice, quiet, secluded.
Exactly what Miyako Rasa wanted.
I was always told that there are two sides to every story. That everyone has their reasons.
"Shirou, stick close to mommy. Okay dear?" A woman smiled warmly at the amazed child at her side, keeping a close eye in case he took off. Together the duo walked, hand in hand into the dense trading district.
Almost instantly she became aware of a bakery nearby; the smell of freshly baked bread filled the air, enticing passersby to enter the open doors of the store. She closed her eyes, breathing deeply the aroma, tempted to go take a look herself. It wasn't everyday they were able to make a trip to the market together, yet Miyako was determined not to dilly dally. She had a list to go through after all. Not wanting to wait longer she continued, pulling along the transfixed form of her son.
He snapped back, looking up at his mother with a sheepish expression before going back to gazing at everything. She idly swept a lock of raven hair out of her face, and looked down at Shirou's mop of silver whipping around as he twisted and turned. It was as adorable as it was exhausting the amount of energy her son had.
Honestly, the amount of times she had to get his attention today alone was more than she could keep track.
"Mom, mom. Look look look." Shirou pointed off to the side at a toy shop, eyes set on the replica of a huntsman's weapon: some kind of spear with a rifle hidden within. She always thought it silly the way hunters always had needlessly complex weapons. All those parts needed to switch functions must need a lot of maintenance to continue to perform properly.
But what would she know? Perhaps soul magic plays a part. It certainly would make sense, considering it was abnormal to not see a hunter without such a tool.
Miyako sighed, tearing herself away from useless thoughts. With a gentle tug of her hand holding her distracted son's they continued on as Shirou babbled about the sights. About the candy store on the other side of the street, watching as the shopkeeper placed fresh sweets out on display; then the large fountain in the center of the market center, transfixed at the jets of water coming out of the stone fishes. Miyako just nodded, savoring the trip in itself as Shirou did the same.
The boy continued to survey his surroundings, letting nothing escape his child-focus. He frowned, bored at the lack of interesting sights as they walked past an infinite amount of clothing stores, even having to stop at one to 'just browse'.
He looked back around, just in case something cool may have came up in the previous five seconds. That's when he saw IT.
What might have been the greatest shop in the whole market. It was simple looking, nothing making it stand out save for the merchandise on display: crystals of various colors practically gleamed in glass cases.
It was a dust store; an honest to goodness Hunter store, where Hunters go, where they might even be right now! By default that made it awesome in his mind and my gosh why wasn't he in there already!
With nary a thought he took off, intent on getting closer, or he would have, if a tug of his hand hadn't stopped him. He pouted, golden eyes staring up pleadingly into the amused pair of Miyako's.
She shook her head, lifting up Shirou against his will and placing him on her shoulders. "None of that sweetie. I don't want to lose sight of you in the crowd." She scolded, ignoring the whine coming from above.
"But Mom! It's a Dust Store!" Shirou stressed, like that was the only argument he needed.
"I can see that Shirou," She said dryly. "That doesn't change the fact that you almost ran off without me."
"Besides," She continued, "You're much too young to be in a dust store Shirou." She added, only making Shirou pout more at the jab at his age; he wasn't a baby, he was a big boy!
Shirou's pout lasted only seconds before the perspective from being so high up distracted him. He stared at all the people around them, wide-eyed at all the different faces; there were so many! He giggled as a stray thought entered his mind, catching the attention of his mother. He's the tallest one in the whole crowd and pointed it out to her, getting a laugh and a jolt in reply.
He calmed down, just a tad, and idly toyed with his mother's locks as she carried him around, basket hooked on her shoulder so she could hold onto his legs for support. He stretched, carefully reaching for the basket and finding it just in reach.
Shirou grinned.
That I should always try to think about how others feel.
Miyako bid farewell to the last shopkeeper, placing the last of her purchased items into her basket before setting it down. She lift her son off her shoulders and stared at his grinning face, mouth full of an apple he snatched from the basket. Troublemaker didn't even look remotely guilty.
"Enjoying yourself" She asked him dryly. His only response to her scrutiny was another bite.
That was it.
In one fell swoop Miyako tucked him in the crook of her arm, her opposite one taking up the task of grinding her knuckles on his head. His mixed cries of laughter and annoyance earned the duo more than a few strange looks.
"I give! I give!" Shirou cried, finally getting her to stop her assault.
"You promise to behave?" Miyako asked, tilting her head as she looked down at his disheveled hair.
Shirou swallowed, "Promise!" He exclaimed while nodding his head excitedly. It wasn't hard to see he was feeling antsy after being carried around the whole time.
Miyako smiled, letting him down before picking up the basket once more. the youth's brief moment of freedom was crushed as she held out her free hand to him, staring at him intently until he grabbed hold of the offered limb. "'m not a baby." Shirou grumbled. taking another bite of his treat in spite.
The young mother only laughed, swinging their connecting arms as they walk down the road. "Than maybe you shouldn't act like one, my little Snowflake," Miyako teased, knowing that he found the nickname annoying. Her son blew her a raspberry as he kept their arms swinging, humming as they ambled along. A bell rang into the air, signaling the end of classes for the school they passed.
Pineshore was a small place; not having a large enough population to justify creating a combat academy they instead had a normal schoolhouse, a fact many of the local children lamented. It was also why many of those coming of age left, intent on becoming one of the heroic hunters they idolized.
Miyako paid it no mind, and would have continued on if Shirou hadn't came to a stop.
"What is it dear?" She turned to see him staring at the school's direction, frown on his face. She followed his gaze towards the red bricked building, fighting back a frown of her own. Walking out of the building was a man and woman hand in hand with a young girl, talking animatedly as they left.
It was so heartwarming it hurt. Hypnotized they lingered, transfixed on what they didn't have.
The single mother tore herself away, squashing the stubborn melancholy mood she was feeling, stuffing her hand that wore a gold band in her pocket. She turned to Shirou and gave his hand a comforting squeeze, having to fight back another wince.
She paused, letting go of Shirou's hand and glanced towards the clock above the building.
"We have a bit of time until dinner, and the park isn't too far away," She said, watching as Shirou's face lit up. "What about it Shirou? Wanna go?" Miyako asked, already knowing the answer. She laughed as her son took off in the direction of said park, chattering happily all the while.
She remained in place until he rounded the corner; with him out of sight she finally dropped her act, smile morphing into a wince as she flexed her hand. She reached into the breast pocket of her coat, pulling out a handkerchief and pressing it into her palm. Red seeped into it in seconds. They need to be trimmed again, Miyako mused.
That I should try to 'walk a mile in their shoes', as the saying went.
Shirou laughed as he chased after another boy, ducking and weaving through the playground. There were a few children there when he got to the park and the silver haired youth quickly joined in a game of Grimm and Hunters. Right now he was Mighty Hunter Shirou! Terror to Grimm everywhere!
The boy being chased darted around a pillar, running to the other end of the playground. Shirou turned, scrambling up the small slide next to him and took off running to the stairs on the opposite side, cutting off the blond boy and tagging him. The boy stumbled, rolling on to his back on the grass, panting in exhaustion. Shirou did the same, letting out a cheer as he fell down. Laying side by side the two of them stayed there to catch their breath under the blue sky.
"You cheated." The blond child accused in between breaths, rabbit ears drooping in fatigue.
"No way, I took a shortcut." Shirou breathed out.
The sound of shouting grabbed their attention, making them look up towards the previously tagged kids running their way. The faunus turned to look at Shirou, grinning as he got up.
"My turn."
Miyako paused in her conversation with another parent, glancing over with a smile; expression straining slightly at the sight of the blond haired boy next to Shirou.
"Are you okay?"
"Huh?" Miyako shifted her gaze back to the woman next to her, remembering she was talking before being sidetracked. "Ah, sorry. I was distracted."
The other woman only waved her off, "It's fine, you're worried about your son. I understand." She turned to look at the playing children herself, "We've all been there dear, best to let them have their fun and leave us doting mothers on the sidelines" She joked.
Miyako nodded. Absently she traced her palm, brushing against the recently closed wound. "Boys will be boys I suppose."
It was always just that, a saying. Some advice to try and understand others.
Shirou giggled as he watched the other boy try to get to him; kicking his legs as he sat on the low branch of a tree. He found himself the last Grimm standing and climbed a tree to stay away from his pursuer, who was struggling to climb and reach him. The youth was confused, tree climbing was easy! You just use your arms and pull yourself up; nothing to it. Yet the blond boy was struggling to get a foot off the ground. Maybe rabbits just aren't good at climbing?
"Hey! Stop cheating!" The faunus stomped his foot in annoyance as he looked up at Shirou. His only response was to laugh and begin climbing higher up the tree, lifting himself almost halfway up before stopping on another branch, crawling to the end to look down. The branch sagged precariously underneath his weight, but he paid it no mind.
"I am the scary Nevermore Shirou! King of the playground!" He growled in an attempt to sound like an actual Grimm. His playmate was not amused.
"More like coward of the playground!" The blond shouted up.
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
"Am-" Shirou stiffened, caught off guard by a loud cracking noise behind him. He swallowed, mouth suddenly dry as his mind raced with possibilities, becoming all too aware how high up he was. He looked down into the wide eyes of the other boy below, then slowly turned back to the source of the noise. In his merriment he didn't notice how strained the branch has become.
"Don't move! I'll go get the adults!"
He nudged back, trying to get closer without any sudden movements.
"Don't!" The faunus tried to stop him but his warning was unheeded.
The branch snapped, and Shirou screamed as gravity took it's course.
"SHIROU!"
I thought I understood.
"Get away from him you ANIMAL!"
"SHIROU!"
I was wrong, at least partially.
It wasn't just a saying.
At least not anymore...
The first thing he noticed when he came to was the silence, a void of any and all sound. Then came the soreness. He was reminded of the time he hurt his ankle and it throbbed, except now his whole body felt like it was beating. It was a constant achiness that felt like it would never go away. He opened his eyes to blearily whiteness, whimpering as he tried to move but found himself unable to.
The second was a sensation, like a pressure pressing down on his entire being. It traveled up and down his frame, receding and returning in intervals like waves on the beach when mom and him took a walk.
"Shirou!" A familiar voice, his mother's, sobbed. He blinks, hearing movement coming from his left, but unable to turn and look. He cried out, little more than another whimper as he strained to do something.
The pressure grew stronger, settling on his chest and making him gasp for breath. His eyes widened, mouth opened in a silent scream as he tried and tried and he couldn't breathe he couldn't breathe why couldn't he breathe?
As quickly as it came the pressure lessened, spreading across his body to encompass him once more. He sighed in relief, it felt… calming now, the sensation, like a great weight was lifted off of him. Which seemed to actually be what has happened.
He froze, caught off-guard by another ripple. He shook his head, feelings other than soreness slowly coming back as he tried brushing off the sensation physically.
"Shirou! Are you alright?" A blurry blackness took up his vision, increasing the sensation as it drew closer. He flinched, closing his eyes in an attempt to get away. The waves churned again, inching towards his center and making his breath hitched in anticipation of the weight.
"Shirou?" His mother continued to question worriedly. Unknowingly worsening his condition. The waves thicken, turning to sludge as it consumed him. It wasn't crushing just his chest this time.
"I'm right here Snowflake, mommy's right here," Miyako wrapped her arms around him, holding him to her chest as he gradually returned the embrace. "Just listen to my voice, okay Shirou? Just take nice deep breaths. You're alright, you're okay," She took a shaky breath herself, "Everything's going to be fine."
Her words had no effect on Shirou, who continued to sit in place as he continued to hyperventilate. He felt his mom's arms tighten around him, only to feel his chest tighten just as much. He was lost, confused in his own mind. He felt like he was drowning, suffocating in a sea of thrashing tides, needing a rescue with none on its way.
He strained against the tide, thrashing in an attempt to find purchase with nothing around. Without thinking, without knowing exactly how, he reacted.
'Oh,' he thought blankly, 'I know that feeling, that feels like-'
like pain...
As if instigated by his thoughts Miyako cried out in pain, face contorting as she froze. He tried pulling away, frightened by the sound, frightened by the sensation, only causing her to shriek again as he felt resistance from something past his fingers. With a shriek he yanked, drawing his arms away, and brought them to view.
Whatever he expected it certainly wasn't what greeted him: a deep red liquid slid lazily down curved, pointed appendages now tipping each finger. He couldn't look away as the blood ran down his black claws, he had claws, shivering as the liquid reached his skin and continued it's trail to pool in his palms. 'This is, this is blood. There is so much blood; where did it all come from?' Shirou thought as he sat.
His head snapped up.
Pain
Miyako was sitting as far away from him on the bed as possible, arms behind her back as tears formed in clenched eyes. He could only stare as she brought her own blood-soaked hands to view.
The sludge thickened, like tar now as it wrapped him up. It slid through his body, slowly, like the blood currently on his hands.
Feeling ill he wiped his hands on the side of the bed, scrubbing hard enough to give himself brush burn as he tried to just get it off get it off get it off!
"Shirou, stop it." Miyako ordered softly, hands reaching out to grab his own to halt his actions. He could only look up at her; at the tear-stained face as the feeling of her bloody hands on his wrists sent goosebumps along his body.
The whole experience made him feel sick and vulnerable and he wished it would just end.
"You were… well, you were hurt pretty badly Shirou," Miyako said, hands slowing letting go as she went to grab the roll of bandages on the nearby table. "It wasn't looking good by the time you reached the cl-clinic." She flinched, whether from the pain of wrapping her wounds or the memory he couldn't tell.
"The doctors couldn't… there wasn't enoug-... you were hurt badly Shirou." She repeated, tears threatening to start falling once more. "Everything happened so fast, the doctors, they- they couldn't treat you in time and had to-"
"We had to unlock your Aura to assist in the healing process." Another voice finished for her. One of the doctors, Shirou guessed from the way he talked, stepped into the room, eyes fixated on the bloody scene.
The man just took it in, diverting his gaze towards Shirou's hands. "Seems it wasn't just his injuries that healed from his Awakening." He drawled.
Miyako jumped up, turning so her back was facing away from him. "Yes the two of us noticed. Thank you, Doctor, but if it isn't too much to ask can yo-"
"Yes, yes, I'll be out of your hair in a minute," The healer interrupted, "God forbid I wanted to check up on my patient and instead walked in on a murder scene in progress."
Miyako glared, hand clenching around the bandage roll as the white coat did his job.
The examination lasted minutes as the doctor gave the startled boy a look over, checking for lasting damage while making marks on his tablet. He was quiet, not bothering to speak at all during the process.
"There, finished," The man concluded, tucking his tablet away before making his way out. "Everything looks to be fine, just some left over soreness that will go away in time, I'd give it two days until he's cleared to leave." He stopped next to Miyako, eyes half lidded as he stared into her glare. "By the way, do try to stop denying what your son is Ms. Rasa. It would really save you both some hardships in the long run."
He pulled out something from his coat and handed it to her. "Antiseptic wipes," he explained, "Wouldn't want to risk an infection now would we? Take it as some, sound medical advice, straight from the doctor's mouth." With those parting words he walked out, shutting the door behind him and making the sensation churn more.
It was strange, but Shirou decided he didn't like that man.
"What a jerk." He said.
His mother gave a weak chuckle, "Not the word I would use but yes, he's quite the jerk," Nonetheless she tore open the plastic bag given to her and took out one of the wipes. She lift the back of her shirt before pausing, stealing a worried glance at Shirou before changing her mind.
With a gentle hand Miyako held up his left arm, and began wiping the blood off, humming softly as she worked. Switching to his other hand when she replaced the used cloth with a fresh one.
A warmth overtook him. The sensation curling around him like a loving embrace. It made him feel safe, like his fears were swept away and everything was just, just right.
"Why?" He had to ask. She was hurt and still bleeding and yet here she sat, humming in contentment as she cleaned him up.
Miyako smiled, sending another pulse of warmth through him. "Why does a mother need a reason to care for her child? I love you Shirou, and nothing's going to change that." She pulled him close as he panicked, keeping his arms to the side, away from her. "Guess I can't keep them trimmed anymore." She joked.
By the way; do try to stop denying what your son is. With excessive care Shirou poked her shoulder with his knuckle, keeping his claws facing the opposite direction.
"What did he mean by that mom? The doctor, he said..." He let the question hang in the air, afraid to finish it. His mother looked sad, still smiling as she got up.
The warmth disappeared, replaced with a chill that sunk into his very being.
He wanted to be warm again.
He felt so alone.
She went into the corner, applying one of the wipes to her back, clenching her teeth at the stinging sensation. With a grimace she withdrew her arm, throwing away the bloody cloth before grabbing another.
"Your father was… I thought he was a great man." She finally said, looking away as she focused on the nearby mirror.
He felt so tired.
"You have his hair, you know. And his eyes. I always thought they were so mysterious and unique. Jokes on me I guess." She chuckled, sounding closer to a sob than anything else.
"When I was with him everything just seemed to fade away, like it was just us and that was all that mattered," Her eyes held a far away look as she reminisced.
He felt so angry.
Her gaze hardened, "It all changed when a close friend of ours told me everything, thought I deserved to know about my own 'husband-to-be'."
With the lacerations cleaned Miyako finally dressed it with the bandages on hand. She looked back at a mirror on the wall, studying the wrappings under her torn sweatshirt.
"If he had his way I'd have never known he wasn't human."
Shirou stared, petrified at the damage he inflicted. The tears were long, leaving most of the material in tatters. He could only assume her back was the same way.
He wanted to cry.
"I loved the man with all my being, and what did he do? He stomped on my feelings, played with my heart for two years, like it was some amusing toy as he made me live a lie."
"I packed everything I could and caught the next ship back to Vale, leaving before he even returned home that day." She wiped at her face with her sleeve, taking a deep breath to steady herself.
"Then you came along, Shirou," She turned to him, eyes red.
"My own little boy to love and nurture. The best thing in my life and it was from that liar." She chuckled again, not stopping the tears as they cascaded down her face.
He felt so ridiculous, so stupid.
"I'm such a sap," She breathed out, tracing the gold band on her hand. "A sentimental sap; I hated him so much but I can't even bring myself to throw everything away."
"I'm sorry," Shirou whispered, not understanding everything but enough to know his father was bad and he reminded his mother of him. He looked down at his claws in shame, "I'm sorry I'm not normal."
"No!" She shouted at him; squeezing his shoulders firmly as she forced him to look her in the eyes. Like coals, they burned him with their intensity. He closed his eyes.
angerangerangerangerhatehatehatehatehate STOP STOP STOP
"You are Nothing like him, like them; do you hear me Shirou? You may have claws, you may have his eyes, you could even have a tail for all I care, but you are not an animal." He looks up to his mother, tears running down his face. Miyako wiped at her eyes, trying to clear her own before pressing on.
"Shhh, shhh. It's okay Snowflake, mommy's right here." Miyako soothed, seeing him shaking and trying to cheer him up. She tightened her hold, pulling him onto her lap as she traced circles on his back, not noticing the claws quivering in the air behind her,
Shirou cried, letting out his fear, his anger, his confusion as he stayed poised to lash out, to rake his claws through the skin of his mother.
He was so angry
He could cry in relief
His guilt was overflowing
His heart leapt with joy
His heart was broken in two
He never felt so loved
He never felt so abandoned
"It's alright Shirou, let it all out. I'll be right here for you." Miyako whispered, causing her son to let out another sob, confused to why that filled him with such terror as he slipped beneath the waves.
2/15/2016: Corrected misspellings and added additional dialogue and structure so it flowed smoother.