The sky shone brightly over the productive city of Fuyuki. The streets were bustling with cars as the adults made their living, while the younger population of the city were stuck in their schools. In the eyes of an average person, a person who leads a normal life, it was only a regular, and boring day. However, for one black haired teenager, it was another day for him to train, to become stronger.
He slowly sat up. A bit sluggish, he slowly stands and stretches his arms. He rubs his eyes as he bask in front of a nearby mirror, absorbing whatever the sun is throwing at him. That dream, huh …, he said to himself. A reoccurring dream, a dream or should we say, a memory that he could never forget. It haunts him in his sleep, but it also serves as his motivation to become stronger.
A memory where his father lashes out to him. For starters, the black-haired teenager never saw his stern father that desperate. It was a new sight for him. Hearing his antics where he nearly destroyed a good portion of the city when he tried to install a berserker card, his father lost all his calm and cool attitude. Not only his son's action brought shame to their family, it also alerted the Mage's Association that his heir is incompetent and could alert the entire world about their existence. Being a magus in their world was a big responsibility, and his son has to learn a hard lesson for his action. The young teenager was beat up, bruises all over his body. His father kept asking him, why, why is he incompatible, why is he so weak, why wasn't he able to inherit his magic circuits. The teenager was left lying down by the entrance hall, with only his younger sister at his side, while the maids and butlers turn a blind eye on him.
The next he knows, he's in his room, locked away from everyone. Their maids and butlers were afraid of him, afraid that he would go in another berserk and nearly kill everyone again. Even though, they still remain loyal to their family due to his father's good deeds towards them. His solitude was eating him from the inside, and his desperation for answers on how to become stronger, to become someone that his father can finally be proud of, gripped his mind.
Before he was completely swallowed by his despair, a young girl enters the room. She bears the same jet-black hair as his, and during a normal day, she'd wear something frilly inside their mansion. She was younger than him by 3 years, yet she was surpassing him without any effort. Even so, he still loved her. She meant the world for him, and no matter how hard it was for him, she was his shining light in the darkness. "Onii-chan, I brought you a snack!" The girl shouted with a big smile on her face. She approaches her older brother and hands him a sandwich that she prepared. He looks at her and gives a faint smile as he takes the sandwich off her sister's hand. While he's busy eating, she would cuddle him, trying to mellow down his mood. By this time, it was already their routine. When he's worked up and stressed from his training, his sister would always come over and cheer him up.
"You know, I don't get it. Father began to train me when I was 8 years old, and that was 5 years ago. Am I not that capable enough, Shizuka?" He asks his sister while he strokes her black hair. "Father is just being too hard for you, Onii-chan. I'm sure Mother knows that." The young girl replies while she rests her head onto her brother's shoulder. "Am I pathetic?" He asks. "No, you're not. You're strong. I know you are." She replies. "Don't you hate it having a weak brother?" He asks once more. "No, there's no possibility I would hate you. We are siblings after all, and Mother taught us that we should support each other if any of us needs it." She replies as she holds onto his brother's shaking hand.
"Will you ever leave me, Shizuka?" He asks with a weary tone. "Don't be silly, onii-chan. No one in this world can separate me from you. After all, I'm your clingy sister." She replies with a tender smile on her face. A smile that was so bright for him that he can't even stop himself from smiling. Those two believed that they were inseparable, that they'll be forever by each other sides. This time around, the two felt something huge will happen. Her elder brother was shaking, like a wet dog outside the shivering snow. She smiled, and wrapped her arms around her brother's head. "There, there. I'm here." She whispered. Tears began to form in his eyes, but the black-haired teenager held his emotions back. He simply rested his head onto his sister's slender shoulders as he hugged her.
Not long, the young teenager woke up, being carried by one of the butlers' on his shoulders. He asked where he was taking him, but there was no response. Once they reached the main hall, he was left stunned as he saw his family waiting for him. After their butler drops him off, his father hands him his knapsack, which was rather bulky. His father's eyes were cold, yet he could see some sadness in his eyes. He tells him that the time has come, and he had to choose someone, someone to carry the burden of being his heir. His mother could only look down, trying to keep his younger sister quiet. The dark circles under her eyes caught his attention.
It was obvious that his younger sister would be chosen after what happened, but he never expected that his father would exile him. "You can't stay here no longer. I'm sorry. You have to leave." His father said as the teenager's hands began to shake. "F-Father, what are you talking about? I-I can … I can.." He mumbled, trying his best to remain calm. He begged for him to let him stay, that he'll become more capable enough to carry the burden, but his father declined. Even when his little sister begged for her beloved older brother to remain in their home, he declined. "This is … the only thing that I could do … Please. Know that I'm doing this for your sake." His father said as he raised his open palm towards him. A flash blinded the teen, and he suddenly felt drowsy. The last thing he heard before he lost consciousness was his sister crying out for him, trying to break free from her mother's grasp as his own father knocks him out.
"Shizuka, Mother, they're not the only ones crying, right?"
The next he sees is the white snow. He lost consciousness when his body couldn't handle the cold. It was a harsh winter for Fuyuki, and the young teenager's body is barely keeping enough heat for him to survive. He was shaking, he wanted to cry but no tears were coming out. He felt death will finally grab him by his neck and take him into the underworld. He cursed himself for being weak. He wanted to be strong, like the person who once saved him. As he tried to reach out to something, he felt something warm grabbing onto his hand. Though his vision was quite blurry at that time, he was sure of it. The person in front of him, who was grabbing onto his hand, was the same man who saved him in his despair a few seasons back.
Coming back to his senses, the young teenager gave himself a light slap on the face. It was already a year when that happened, and he now lives with the man who saved him and his companion. They took him in without hesitation, and out of kindness, the man began mentoring him. His new home, which was another mansion near the city's centre, bears a striking resemblance to his parent's home, but even though it's smaller, he feels more at home, more happy.
"Ah, you're finally awake. Go on, grab a seat. Breakfast will be done in a few minutes." The red-haired man said as the teenager enters the kitchen. To repay his saviours' kindness, the black-haired teen took on chores under his mentor's wing. He never learned how to do daily tasks due to their maids and butlers before, so it took some time before he got a knack out of it. "G'morning. You need some help, sensei?" He asks his mentor. "Not really. I got it all covered! Go wait with Tohsaka before she becomes cranky." His mentor said with a smile.
Following his mentor's orders, he went towards the dining portion of the kitchen. Even though the mansion had a dining hall, the three chose to eat in the smaller table by the kitchen during the usual days. "Who is he calling cranky this early in the morning?" The black-haired woman said as she fixes her hair while the teenager sits down beside her. "Good morning, Tohsaka-san." The teenager greeted the woman. Beside him was Tohsaka, Rin, an established magus and current head of the Tohsaka family, his mentor's companion and lover, and a former master during the Fifth Holy Grail War. The mansion that the three of them are staying in belongs to her. Reluctant at first when her partner took in the teenager from the freezing cold, after a year though, she slowly warms up to him. Sharp with her words, but kind in her actions, the black-haired magus is currently the teenager's teacher regards to magic and fundamental studies.
As the two share an idle-chatter, the teenager's red-haired mentor walks in with their breakfast in his hands. He gives the two their meal and sat down on the other side of his student. "As always, you never fail to amaze me, Shirou. You really are better off as a housewife." Rin comments with a smirk as the man chuckles. The red-haired man was none other than Emiya, Shirou, a travelling magus, Rin's partner, a former master during the Fifth Holy Grail War, and a man that follows a unique dream. He travelled the world with his partner and after some years of studying and travelling, the two went back to their hometown. The day that they got back was the very same day when they saw a familiar-looking servant causing destruction in the city. Kind and completely selfless, Shirou became his student's hero not long after he saved him.
After eating their breakfast, the teacher and his student would go do their daily chores while Rin goes back to her office to fix her paperworks regarding the Mage's Association. After their chores, which involves cleaning, laundry and such, the two would lounge around the library while waiting for Rin to finish up. Before Shirou leaves to cook their lunch, Rin would've already started teaching their student about magic and other arts that he could use. If her lectures would get a tad bit boring, she would bring out the teenager into their garden where they could practice using those said arts.
Once they've eaten lunch, it was Shirou's turn to teach. Since his partner is already covering the fundamentals of being a magus, he trains their student's body and hones it to become more capable to withstand his unique family art. Even the two of them, who studied in London for quite a while, are not capable of replicating what their student could do with a blank card. Occasionally, his student would ask for a spar, and he would comply, though he'd pull his punches.
"Sensei. I have treat for you this time around." The black-haired teenager said as he brings out his card. "Oh? What's that?" Shirou asks as he readies his wooden sword. Though he lets his student use the weapons whoever servants he calls out from his card, he's capable enough to thwart any attacks from him due to his unique art, Tracing, and if a hit does land, his partner would patch him up while giving a stern lecture on their student. Rin kept a close eye on their student as the mana around them began to flow towards their student's hand.
"Card Art: Include! Lancer!" The student shouted and a flash enveloped him. As the light fades away, a red spear with a circular embroidery along its shaft appeared in his hand. The moment he saw the red-glow from the spear, Shirou quickly recognized the weapon. "Wait. Did Tohsaka told you to use that?!" Shirou asked as he looks towards Rin, who looks away while sipping her tea, trying to hide her smirk. "U-Uh. She did. Lancer, huh? This is Gae Bolg, the cursed spear of Cu Chulainn, a famous hero from Irish mythology. Wait. T-Tohsaka-san? Isn't this dangerous?" The student cried out. Cornered by the two, Rin began to laugh. "I thought it would be a good idea to spice up one of your training sessions with Shirou. So, you remember? Hm?" Rin asks as she teases Shirou in front of their student. "U-Uh, that I owe you? Geez." Shirou said with a sigh. "Besides, that spear your holding on to is just a simple spear that looks like Gae Bolg. You said it yourself, right?" Rin said as she turns her attention towards their student.
You could only use a card's noble phantasm if you Install it. If you simply include a card, it'll only allow you to use the weapon or magic that the heroic servant once used.
Even with Shirou's and Rin's training, his body is still nowhere capable of installing any servant card. He knows that he can't rush things again, since that event last winter might happen once more. For now, it'll be another day of training, another chance to become stronger. "So, it's just a fancy looking spear, right, Tohsaka-san?" He asked. "Yup. It's just some sharp stick." Rin replies as she takes a sip of her tea. Hearing his other teacher's reply, he looks to his red-haired teacher and smiled. "Alright, ready when you are." Shirou said as he smiled back while he readies his stance. His teacher's magic circuits began to glow as he reinforces the wooden sword. In a matter of seconds, the black-haired student charges in, and his training continued once more.
