Chapter 1: A Confrontation
Shirou was still as he observed the Team Naming Ceremony. Such a simple name likely wasn't the true one for the ceremony - if it even had one, but Shirou's attention was wandering elsewhere when the ceremony had started. Professor Ozpin stood upon a grand stage as he listed off chess pieces and student names. Assigning them arbitrarily with little to no regard as to whether the teams would actually work out in the long run.
Such random pairings would have surely brought about the doom of Shirou in the Grail War, and likely made everything much more complicated; He shivered at the thought of getting paired with Medea or Herakles. Though perhaps he would have been able to turn Medea to his way of thinking.
For such a hyped up ceremony, with all other students of all other years in attendance, it was really rather simple. From the room that Shirou and his new team were waiting, they could hear the introductions. Every team was named after a color or color-related object, and the first initial in the new acronym was named Team Leader, then the team was bid a farewell and they were let go to find their dorm. Another arbitrary thing to possibly mess up team dynamics; to possibly put more lives in danger. Then I will save them.
Shirou only vaguely heard as he and his assigned team were called out of the waiting room set aside for the ceremony. As he stood from his seat, pondering the downsides to such a system with no human intervention, Shirou could not help but think that though the system was arbitrary, it worked out in peoples' favor more often than not.
After all, had this system not placed him with the only person so far who he'd seen filled with a want to protect, rather than a want to be strong, or a want to destroy the Grimm? Hopefully the other two people assigned to his team would turn out to have such an outlook. Rin would call me stupid for being so optimistic, but looking at all these happy faces... I just can't help it.
Standing side by side with the rest of his assigned team upon the stage that signified the beginning of the next chapter in his life, Shirou could only feel a small bit of satisfaction at his E rank luck finally going his way.
"For collecting the white rook pieces, Pyrrha Nikos, Ren Lie, Shirou Emiya, and Nora Valkyrie, I hereby name you Team PRSN (Persimmon). Under the leadership of Pyrrha Nikos. I wish you luck in the future." Applause met Ozpin's announcement, leaving Team PRSN to walk out with what many would consider a good reception. Those people, though, weren't like the ones on Team PRSN; who either cared very little for or actively disliked publicity.
As Shirou followed along with the rest of his new team - what may well become his second family - he found one thought nagging at the back of his mind. Something horrible and potentially devastating. "Ah, guys. Did anyone find out where the dorms were before initiation?"
Nora's disconcerting smile told Shirou all he needed to know. Hopefully there were signs.
Shirou's mind tried to restart as he realized the certainly inappropriate sleeping situation the school had left him in. The dorm room granted to each team was a single room with four full-sized beds. That would have been fine with Shirou if not for the fact that two of his teammates were female. Oh, he could already hear Rin's voice in his head. 'After all the things you've done with me and Saber, how could you be embarrassed about simply sleeping in the same room as them two girls?
If Rin ever found out, Shirou would surely die from embarrassment with all her teasing. Undoubtedly, and unfortunately for Shirou, Rin would find out.
With the last subroutines of Shirou's mind booted up, and his conscious mind able to act in its entirety, he was able to yelp out a strangled "I-I can't sleep in here!" His flushed and red face likely did little to convey the actual reason he was unwilling to sleep in the room.
"Why not?" Unsurprisingly it was Shirou's partner Pyrrha who responded to his dismay.
"It would be inappropriate. To sleep in the same room as a woman..." Unbidden a memory came to Shirou. Do not treat me as a human, Master. I am a servant first, and a female second. Maybe that mindset could be applied here? After all, Shirou and Saber had eventually ended up sharing a room - though the situation had been much different in both context and intimacy.
"There are separate beds, Shirou. Unless you are perchance insinuating something?" The underlying threat was like the most obviously laid trap Shirou had ever seen. That, or living with Rin had made such things more apparent to him.
"N-no! Never. It's just that, well... It's inappropriate for a man and a woman to share the same room. That's just the way it is." The backpedaled answer did little to alleviate the grin on Pyrrha's face, and for once in the short time Shirou had known the woman, he wished for Nora to interrupt.
And for the first time since arriving in Vale, Shirou was struck by true culture shock. The inability to easily reconcile held beliefs with the culture of the place the person resides in. "We're not sharing beds, Shirou. There's nothing wrong with bunking with your teammates." Shirou momentarily stopped in shock once more, before giving a defeated fine. Far be it from him to place his beliefs on appropriate sleeping arrangements on a country literally all the way across the continent from his own home.
"Then I would thank you deeply for allowing such an intrusion, even if you do not see it as so." With the final words said, Shirou once more opened the door to his new living quarters and was greeted by the most seemingly random conversation he had ever heard.
"No, Nora. You cannot have pancakes in bed. Not the least because I can't cook them up here, but because I am not walking to the cafeteria and back before you're even awake to treat you to pancakes."
"But Reenn!" Nora whined, "Pancakes are like the best thing ever, and if I have them in bed they'll be even better! The bestest!" Somehow, Shirou was given the feeling that the conversation had happened a great many times before.
Nora-san and Fuji-nee must never meet. A law from the Gods, to be sure.
That Night
I stand alone upon a hill, surrounded by infinite swords. Swords that are the embodiment of concepts. Swords that are barely swords. Swords that are not swords. Swords that are swords in name only. Swords that are arrows. Swords that are shields.
Upon this hill of swords I stand.
The air smells of ozone, and in the sky, far in the distance, I can see enormous gears turning. Producing more swords. Some that do not exist. Some that do not exist yet. Some that will never exist. Swords upon swords surround me on this hill. I am at home with these swords. For where else does a sword belong but with other swords?
To my left stands Rin Tohsaka, heiress of the Tohsaka name and small fortune. She is a first class magus of small repute who's largest claim to fame is the continued contract with a Servant long after the Grail War has ended. Undoubtedly she would become known for much more in her future at the Clocktower - as a genius she must strive for the betterment of her own name, after all. For her, I would sacrifice my Ideals. For her, I would turn myself, a Sword, against the masses.
To my right stands Arturia Pendragon; The Once and Future King. Wielder of Excalibur, the Sword that Embodies Glory, she hid her true gender under a facade of eternal youth, and led the Kingdom of Camelot to greatness, and to the kingdom's fall. She is a Servant lasting long past the day she would have normally dissipated, a super-human being stronger than even the strongest humans. Able to break the sound barrier at will and crush all but the strongest foes. For her, I sacrificed my Ideals. I turned my eyes aside as Angra Mainyu was let live for another Grail War. I turned myself, a Sword, against the masses; even if indirectly.
They are the only ones aside from myself and infinite swords upon this hill, as they are the only ones that can follow me on this path. For surely my path will lead us to such ruin that thousands -millions- will feel the aftershocks. To pursue my ideals with these two with me will surely leave the world a different place, and I will surely meet my end upon a hill of swords.
I have no regrets, this is the only path.
Morning- 5 AM
Shirou gazed up at the figure of Weiss Schnee, her hand on the hilt of her rapier -Myrtenaster- and her gaze as cold as her namesake. A hidden purpose was shrouded behind a curiosity that was both deadly and cautious.
"What is a magus doing at this school, Shirou Emiya? Why have you deemed this a place to go?" The challenging tone used to question him made Shirou feel as though he had been caught asleep in the shed by Rin again.
"I don't quite understand what your talking about, Schnee-San. What is a magus?" The lie sounded false and horribly constructed even to Shirou's ears. Likely due to the fact he hadn't had to ask how to pronounce 'magus'. Rin and Saber did always say I was horrible at keeping secrets.
"Do not play games with me, Emiya. Have you come to strike me down as many have my father? You'll be sorely disappointed to know that you will not succeed." Weiss' grip on Myrtenaster tightened as she prepared a defense for an attack. An attack which would have came if Shirou were any other magus.
"I have not come to harm you, Schnee-San. I am here because I wish to save people, like everyone else here." I have no regrets, this is the only path.
"That's a likely story. One for the masses that don't know how to identify those like you- who would sacrifice any other being for a chance at infinite knowledge and power." Weiss prepared took a breath to put a stopper on her small tirade. "I know what you magi are like and I want you to leave. I'll not have one of you so close to me and those around me when you likely plan to stab me once my back is turned." A white glow emanated from Myrtenaster, started by Weiss channeling her power through the rapier.
Shirou shook his head. "I can't leave, Schnee-san. I have to graduate from Beacon to accomplish my goals." Shirou's shoulders tensed as he prepared for an attack, an imaginary handgun cocking in the back of his head, ready to Trace swords at any moment.
"Then let us make a deal. We have combat training courses, likely there will be one on one sparring sessions to hone experience. At the first available chance, we will fight. If I win, you leave." Both Shirou's tenseness and the glow from Myrtenaster dissipated as the offer -demand- was made. There would be no argument from Shirou with an ulitimately harmless
Shirou sighed to himself, careful not to let his exasperation show on his face. "That is acceptable. And if I win, I will stay." I have fought beings far beyond your power, Schnee-san. I will be staying here.
Truly, Shirou's grin would have told Weiss that she would not win when that chance came to fruition, but she had already turned and walked inside. After all, what reason had she to worry? The Schnee family were all prodigal fighters and though Weiss was the youngest, she was no less trained.
Shirou paid rapt attention as the rather large man called Professor Port rambled on about how he -and his family before him- were great hunters, and how Grimm were as prey to him. Such blatant bragging had not been seen by Shirou since nearly a year ago, when he had had the displeasure of speaking with either Shinji Matou or the ever-arrogant Gilgamesh. Thankfully, the loud-spoken pride of Professor Port seemed to not be fueled by an arrogant need to display his superiority or an inferiority complex run rampant by years of verbal abuse, but simply by a want to share stories with his students and impart knowledge with them.
Most of the stories so far had been about Boarbatusks, the Grimm that's appearance earned it the namesake of a farm animal. Most of the stories highlighted the actual boarbatusk's actions and how it was defeated and gave generally good tips on how to dominate a Boarbatusk in a fight by using its rather limited attack patterns against it.
Sadly, Professor Port wasn't that good of a storyteller despite his good intentions. Tangents were strewn about everywhere in them and often-times Professor Port would simply stop telling a story completely only to start up on one that was only minimally related. As such, despite the good information hidden within his words, he was such a bore to the class that few -if any- could actually find the energy to look for it.
Because of the rather lackluster speeches and focus on storytelling that Professor Port had so far displayed, none were prepared for the steel cage that was dragged in to the room by a few upperclassmen.
"The moral of these stories is that a true huntsman must be honorable. A true huntsman must be dependable. A true Huntsman must be strategic, well educated, and wise!" The sudden ferocity in Professor Port's voice sent many students fumbling for a coherent thought, left off balance as they were by the rattling steel cage. "So, who among you believes themselves to be the embodiment of these traits?"
Not a single student raised their hand or verbally announced themselves to Professor Port's question. Whether such an occurrence was because many were still trying to organize their thoughts, or because of a lack of confidence was unknown to Shirou. With no response, Professor Port chose for them.
"Miss Nikos! I'm sure with your reputation you'll show us what such a huntress is like. Come up here and bring your weapon."
The frown that formed on Pyrrha's face at the mention of her reputation would have shown most that she did not wish to be chosen for her reputation alone, but Professor Port was as oblivious to such things as he was full of stories. Yet still Pyrrha pulled Milo, her spear, and Akouo, her shield, from her bag and hefted them stiffly.
"Good luck, Pyrrha-san. Remember to aim for the eyes and stomach." Shirou offered.
Nora's response was a loudly cheered, "Go Pyrrha! Kick that Grimm's butt!" as she stood up from her chair.
Ren's was a simple nod, his silent nod the only encouragement offered aside from the ember of encouragement in his eyes.
Pyrrha took their encouragement with a smile, readying Milo and Akouo as she turned from the center of the room to face the rattling steel cage. From within the darkness of the cage were two wild red eyes glaring at her with hate and rage and a want for destruction.
"Are you ready Miss Nikos? Good, then Start!" The door of the cage swung up and above the cage and out charged a medium sized boarbatusk. The Grimm's eyes were locked onto Pyrrha as it charged headlong towards the teen star. Pyrrha did not move.
Once the Boarbatusk was within a meter of her, Pyrrha sidestepped and slashed with the head of Milo, scraping the edge of the spear's blade along the Boarbatusk's side and throwing sparks into the air. With no regard for the attack, the Boarbatusk made an abrupt turn back towards Pyrrha and charged once more, only for the same maneuver to be repeated along the same side of the boarbatusk. This time, though, the Boarbatusk did not run by Pyrrha without retaliation.
The Grimm threw its head to the side, catching Pyrrha with its tusks and knocking her off her feet. Pyrrha rolled with the blow, flipping back onto her feet in a fluid motion and dodging to the side once more as the Boarbatusk made another pass at her. This time she avoided the Grimm's tusks.
Seemingly frustrated with being unable to land a solid hit on Pyrrha, the Boarbatusk made a final attack in rage; a disastrous mistake.
On the fifth pass past Pyrrha, the Boarbatusk did not immediately charge back at her. Instead, the Grimm curled into a ball and started spinning rapidly before gaining traction and shooting at Pyrrha with a speed at least double of all the Grimm's other attacks. Pyrrha readied Milo above her head in preparation for the coming clash.
Within the span of a second and a half, the Boarbatusk crossed the distance between it and Pyrrha, leaving a trail of scratches and gouges within the stone floor in its wake. Once more, Pyrrha sidestepped the Boarbatusk, but instead of slashing like all the times before, she thrust Milo with ferocious speed and strength and jumped backwards.
The Boarbatusk wobbled for a moment before sprawling outwards from the center of the ball it had created and tumbling along the floor, eventually colliding with Professor Port's desk and not getting back up. Milo was retrieved from the newly made corpse and Pyrrha returned to her seat just as quickly as Professor Port spewed praises upon her.
"Absolutely excellent, to use their limited offense to shave away at their defense only for a final debilitating blow! Truly nothing less could be expected from The Invincible Girl! Class dismissed!"
Shirou glanced at Pyrrha as she collected her materials and asked, "So which class is next, Pyrrha-san?"
The leader of Team PRSN grimaced. "Combat Training."