With the alliance made between Rin, Shirou, and reluctantly Shinji, everybody had calmed down and decided to relax themselves. After eating the food served, everyone helped unpacked Shirou's things like food, pots and pans, and so on and placed them in one of the many rooms in the house that were free. Everyone was a bit amazed by how much space this place had, and yet confused why there were so few people here. With only Sakra, Shinji, and their supposed grandfather being here.
The Matou siblings answer being that it was just like that.
'And yet it brings no comfort at all.' Ozpin thought as he finished putting some clothes Shirou gave him in a closet. His room right next to Shirou's with Musashi across from the two men, having been happy she could sleep on a bed and not the dirty grass. She must have led a harsh life.
Still, while Ozpin is grateful things with this alliance have worked out, the headmaster couldn't help but feel a strange uncomfortable feeling in the air. Like someone was watching them, him, as they moved around in the house. Not to mention he's certain he saw small quick-moving bugs when he least expected them. This place clearly does not have a maid.
Sighing, Ozpin just checked the bed, the closet, and the connected bathroom. Finding everything in working order and found no nasty surprises. Glad that the house was still moderately clean, Ozpin sat on his bed and began thinking over what has been going on.
Shirou being kidnapped by a dangerous woman who can use magic, or advanced magecraft that's almost indistinguishable from magic, and is very dangerous. Being the cause of all the people around Fuyuki going unconscious. Potentially being willing to kill them to aid whatever plan she has to win this Holy Grail War.
They also had to worry about Lancer's Master who has been very quiet. Yet word has it people are dying and not from the gas leaks covering up Caster's doing, but of rumors involving a man with a spear. If what Rin said was true, then Lancer was killing people because his Master must not have enough mana to supply him. Not that it excused such abhorrent actions with Ozpin feeling disgusted by such a thing.
Yet what made him feel worse was the old man hat in truth, had been some kind of monster.
"Just who was he?" Ozpin asked himself as he recalled that night. How he faced that revolting creature disguised as a human, who could turn himself into flying insects of sorts and worms while summoning similar creatures that were just as horrible as the person itself. Yet what shocked Ozpin more than just seeing a person that can turn to worms, was that the man knew his name. His original name.
Ozma.
Ever since his falling out with his old love, Ozpin has used countless names ever since yet never his first. To the current age, they knew him as Ozpin. Nothing more, nothing less and only his eternal foe knew his identity along with the Gods. So then, how had that man known his true name?
It shouldn't have been possible, unless… "Is she here?"
I mean, how else would that monster know his name? Was that worm perhaps one of her allies, or simply just a pawn. Granted some form of power since no semblance can do that. Yet if so, then how did his enemy gain a pawn like this and know he is even here in a literal different dimension. Despite his conclusions, Ozpin knew it wasn't the true answer and just had more questions than answers.
"I suppose I'll just have to continue on." Ozpin mutters as he then stands and leaves the room. The ancient warrior then knocked on Shirou's door where it then opened up.
"Oh, Ozpin. Nice to see you. Need something?" Shirou asked.
"Just wanted to see if you wish to train more." Ozpin tells him as he looks across the halls, seeing nobody there at all. "I figured if you wanted to, we can get some training done."
"Sure." Shirou agrees. "If I recall, there should be a room here that's mostly empty. Or we can go outside." Shirou then exits his loaned room and closes the door, more than willing to start his training to get used to aura.
"You've been here before?" Ozpin asked as Shirou began leading the way outside, with the young man nodding.
"I have." He tells Ozpin as they pass by Musashi's room, where one can hear her snoring. Guess she was resting. "Before, I used to come here just until last year. Playing games and the like, and visiting Sakura on the occasion."
"Then why stop?" Ozpin asked with Shirou going a bit silent there.
"I...don't know." Shirou then admits. "I just stopped overall. Not that I minded since Sakura came to my house and we hanged out."
"I see. Then, what do you think of having Shinji in this alliance?" Ozpin then changed the subject to the most recent action done. One that made Shirou look a little troubled at trying to come up with an answer. After many seconds though, he seemed to have come up with one.
"Shinji joining, I don't think it's bad. I mean, yeah Shinji can be a bit of a jerk, but in a tolerable way. Granted, only Sakura and I really hung out with him. His personality is rather...rough." That and more. Still, Ozpin could see that Shinji, while no good person, didn't seem evil or anything of that regard. More like pathetic and trying to prove himself. Something along those lines so to say.
"Then there shouldn't be a problem." Ozpin says to Shirou as they now start walking down the stairs. "If you say your friend can be handled, then why not. Plus with his Servant aiding us, we have another lending hand to stop Caster and her plans for this city."
"Yeah." Shirou's eyes become a little more narrower as if on edge. "If we can save those people she hurts, then everything will be good. I'm certain Tohsaka will have a plan ready by tomorrow." After all, unlike him, she's a true and competent magus. If she said she can make a plan, then who was Shirou to think otherwise.
"And while our young friend does that, we can train you more with aura." Ozpin smirks as Shirou led them to the Matou household backyard. Where while it was rather dirty and had leaves all over, it's pretty spacious and had lots of room. More than enough for a quick battle run, as Shirou went across towards Ozpin and looked ready for a fight.
"Actually," Ozpin then says as he sat down cross legged. "I was thinking that for today, we could do something different."
"Huh?" Shirou goes, a bit surprised by this. Having assumed this would be training him to fight and not whatever it is Ozpin's doing. The old man seemed to notice Shirou's expression and chuckled.
"While I don't mind fighting, I believe that for today, we should start teaching you how to learn the flow of aura." Ozpin explains as Shirou, while reluctant, begins to sit down. "If you wish to fight, then we must first ensure you can activate your aura to cover your entire body. This way, even if someone attacks you from behind, you'll be safe."
"Right, you mentioned that. The whole shield thing." It did sound useful overall. I mean, to be attacked from behind, only for aura to block that attack and ensure his safety. "I can admit, that does sound neat when I imagine it."
"And can potentially save your life." Ozpin states. "Fighting is good and all, but defense is just as required. So then, let us get star-" Before the headmaster can finish, a sound can be heard.
"Hey!" An annoying one coming from Shinji who walked outside. The two sitting groaning a bit as Shinji came to them with a frown. "What are you doing?"
"Um, practicing." Shirou tells his alliance member. "I did say I was training to become stronger and all."
"What, to fight Servants?" Shinji scoffed at such foolishness. "Didn't Tohsaka already tell you? Humans can't fight Servants. It's practically suicide to do so!"
Servants, especially some, might look easy to beat, but they weren't. Heck, say imagine a scenario where one Servant met a human who just happened to have the same skills as them. Not likely of course, but imagine it. The Servant would win, as due to their bodies nature granted by the Holy Grail, they'd be tougher, stronger, and faster. Bodies that were superior to humans this even if the skills were equal, thus meaning the Servant will always win.
"Ozpin managed to fight a Servant." Shirou tried to point out, though Ozpin actually retorted against that.
"I did, however, I should point out that the Servants I faced didn't seem to be at full power." Or more like weren't giving it their all. Lancer holding back, and Rider having a cruddy Master while facing multiple enemies. Yes, Ozpin faced them and made a better showing than what most humans could do. In the end sadly, it was just delaying the inevitable.
"Wait, then that means-"
"Yeah Emiya." Shinji rolls his eyes. "I don't know what you're thinking, and all I can say is that whatever it is, is dumb. I mean, fighting a Servant! You'll be lucky if they entertain you and just give you a good punch."
In other words, what Shirou is doing could be seen as pointless. Didn't matter if he trained up his body, or even raised his skill. Against Servants, he'd just be an obstacle they'd crush sooner or later. Not to mention there were the other Masters, who could just use their spells or have their Servants face him instead of themselves. Didn't matter if Shirou happened to be stronger if the enemy Master just paralyzed him and then offed him from there.
Still…
"I don't think this isn't worth my time." Shirou declares with Shinji rolling his eyes while Ozpin smiles. It seems even despite knowing that this training might not truly help him, it could still be useful in the long run. Something Ozpin is happy to oblige him with.
"Then I suppose I'll do my best to train you."
"And after I just said this." Shinjo scowls. Though his eyes narrow as he then sees Ozpin using his aura, or where to Shinji's eyes, saw a slight glow. "What kind of magecraft are you using anyway?" While Shinji can't say he knew every form of Magecraft, thanks to the Matou family he saw quite the list of spells that one can use. So it confused him to see this strange magecraft that Ozpin is using, and supposedly is teaching Shirou this. Some kind of body enhancement ability? Not the most used as many magus believed fighting with fists is unbecoming, though still sought by certain people.
"Right, this." Ozpin turns to Shinji to answer his question. "What I use is different from where I come from. Terminology I use may not be what you know since I come from another place."
"America, correct." Shirou says with Ozpin reluctantly nodding with Shinji accepting it. Knowing that the magus of the Western branch weren't on good terms with the Clock Tower Magus and saw each other as separate.
"Moving on, what I use is called aura." Ozpin demonstrated a bit by making his body shimmer with his aura, captivating Shinji with Shirou mesmerized as he kept seeing it. "It is the power to protect oneself, and to move forward to fight. Allowing numerous physical advantages, and potentially a power to gain."
"Power?" Both Shirou and Shinji then say at the same time, with a hint of greed and wanting in the latter's eyes.
"It's known as a Semblance." Ozpin tells them. "Aura is a gift of the soul so to say, yet it does more than just physical augments. While I won't promise you can gain one, it's possible for aura to take a type of form and grant it's user a type of power. What that power is, depends on the person themselves."
While Shirou knew he shouldn't expect it, a part of him now hoped he could gain this power known as a semblance. I mean, he'll be taking his first step as an actual hero, like his father said.
As for Shinji, his mouth formed into what can be described as a smile yet pride tried to make him look calm and composed. Eventually, he coughed and then spoke in Ozpin's direction. "And, uh, how can one gain aura?"
"Two ways. Either unlock it through a certain situation that may cause emotional distress," In which case, like-and-death most of the time and sadly isn't even a guarantee then. So the next best method would be, "Or someone, like myself, unlocks it for you."
Hearing this, Shinji instantly said, "Then give it to me!" Though once he said those words in a childish and rather pathetic way, he instantly tried to correct himself. "I mean. Um. Ahem. It would be perfect if I gained power like that. I mean, since...having more fighters would be great."
"..." Ozpin could tell that this young man was far from a decently good person. While not evil, he certainly gave out self-absorbedness in his poor attitude. Still…" Very well." Ozpin relents with Shinji barely able to contain himself. "I suppose having another capable person can help out. Come here."
Shinji nearly ran over to him, but controlled himself and walked instead, though bit his lip to hide the joy that would have otherwise escaped his throat. Once in front of him, Ozpin stood up and lightly touched Shinji's chest with his hand glowing. From there Ozpin repeated the mantra he told Shirou and in just a matter of seconds, a dark blue light came from Shinji's body who couldn't hide the awe he felt as Shinji felt a strange energy in hima wakening.
This is then followed by...something else he guessed, though lesser compared to what he was certain is aura. The light then fading with Shinji looking back to normal.
"It is done." Ozpin says as Shinji begins to pat himself. The energy he felt gone yet somehow still there if only lesser. "As of this moment, you have an awakened aura. It'll be a while, but the increase in strength will happen soon and with practice like Shirou, you can utilize your aura to become even stronger."
"Huh-wha, oh. Okay." Shinji hadn't really been paying attention. More focused that he has fancy new powers that he can use. Yeah baby! While he might have been getting ahead of himself, Shinji felt a great delight he hasn't felt since he first discover the Matou's were a family of magus. Yet that had been dampered when he realized he had no magic circuits, but now. Now! He has powers!
'Which means I'm not a failure! I'm strong! Strong!' Shinji began thinking as he began creating scenarios in his mind of him suddenly fighting Servants and winning. Despite the fact that just earlier, he said humans couldn't do so. A hypocrite to the end.
"...wish to continue training?" Ozpin then asked Shirou.
"Sure." Might as well leave Shinji to do...whatever it is he's doing.
Ozpin and Shirou then went back to sit down again when suddenly, an unnatural noise was heard.
"▄▄▅▅▂▂▃▃!" One that got everyone to turn as they then heard the sound of childish laughter. All coming from behind the brick wall that separates the Matou homes backyard to the rest of the city. The three men went quiet with Shirou paling as he knew that sound and Shinji shivering.
Silence is heard next, and for a moment it might have appeared that everybody was just hearing things.
BOOM!
Shrieking like a little girl, Shirou and Ozpin remained more composed while Shinji fell on his butt, though the former two were far from at easy. Walking through and stepping into the backyard, a brute full of muscle came in and looked ready to play. Play with their corpses that is, with a face that showed it to as the Servant known as Berserker snarled with his huge biceps bulging. Seeing this Servant made Shinji squeal while Shirou sweated a little at the sight of him. The feeling of ribs cracking still known to him while Ozpin felt his body screaming at him once more.
The great hero Hercules has come. Standing near him, Illya. Giggling as she eyed all three men as if she were ready to play a game. To bad this game was for real and may cost them their lives.
'At times like this, I wish I hadn't given up my magic.' Ozpin thought as he got ready for a throw down yet still feeling panicked. He has met many Grimm before, and none of them gave him the unease like this man.
He wasn't alone, as Shirou felt the same while Shinji just wanted to run. Though it seems he realized the situation, and instantly called out to someone. "R-R-Rider!" He yelled out in the open. "Get your ass over here!"
Suddenly one of the second floors to the Matou home exploded and bursting from the wall is Rider who landed beside Shinji with her chains out. Shinji turned around and saw...she came from his room! Oh that damn-
"Saber!" Shirou, following Shinji's method, called upon his Servant. Another loud noise is heard and it appears like Rider, Saber had done the same as she burst through the house wall and landed just inches away from Shirou with her own weapons drawn. Seeing the two boys Servant made Illya grin.
"My. So this is your Servant brother." Illya giggles as she looks at Saber with a critical eye. Then she stares at Rider and smirks. "That one the Matou's have seems okay...but even if she didn't have a weak Master, she or your own Servant brother are no match for Berserker."
"Illya," Shirou then speaks, and while scared, didn't let that stop him to talk to the intruder here. "What are you doing here?"
"Eh? You're asking me that. Really?" Illya seemed disappointed, as if Shirou made a mistake. "Why, isn't it obvious." She then gave a sweet smile that any sibling would be proud to see. "I came to kill you."
Berserker is in front of Shirou, with the massive weapon it held raised over his head.
"Shirou!"
"Emiya!"
Both Ozpin and Shinji shouted with Shirou frozen, unable to do anything. Berserker wasn't playing around anymore, not like last time. Where he went easy on him before, now he was going at a faster speed that none, not even Ozpin who could react to bullets, could react to. With the three unable to do anything but watch.
Slam!
Except for two powerful women known as Rider and Saber. Both having jumped in and used their respective weapons to stop the blow. Granted, their arms shaked, the ground cracked beneath them, and both were sweating a lot with Musashi herself complaining.
"Gagagagagga!" Musashi shouted as she felt her muscles slowly tearing. "What the hell is this guy!?"
"Hercules." Rider growled as she to felt the strain of just blocking this one attack. "Truly he is an adversary not to be messed with."
"And more~!" Illya says as Hercules then backflips back over to her while standing straight. "Nothing can stop Berserker." Shirou felt a chill as Hercules made movement. "Not even to two weak Servants!"
"Oh I'll show you weak!" Musashi growls yet trembled as she faces a superior foe, with a smile soon forming on her lips. Excited to face the Greek legend himself.
"Very well." Rider also takes a stance. "As useless, pathetic, and cowardly as my Master is,"
"Hey!" Shinji shouted.
"I am reluctantly bound to protect him."
"What kind of relationship do you even have with her?" Ozpin eyed Shinji who tried whistling innocently. Aside from that, currently Ozpin alongside Shirou also got battle ready. While they won't face Hercules, they will face Illya, who no doubt had a few spells up her sleeves as she looked to be having fun. As for Shinji, he just ran away and into the house and then peeked from behind the door.
"Alright, I suppose we'll be going at it again." Ozpin says as he looks at Shirou. "You don't have to do this?"
"I will. No. I must." Shirou declares with determined eyes. Eyes staring at Illya. "Even if you tell me no, it's my fault she's here because she's after me. Wants me dead and is now endangering everyone here." Shirou's aura began to emit, with Illya looking surprised. "So...I have to take responsibility."
"Then…" Ozpin readies his cane. "Allow me to help you."
"And don't worry about us Master!" Musashi says as she and Rider stare down Berserker. "We have it handled."
"Enough talk." Illya then says. "Time for a slaughter!"
With those words said, everybody acted. With countless small hideous bugs watching as their maker smiled to see what his enemies would do.
A short chapter in preparations for the fight.
Also, when Ozpin activates aura, the person he does it to will gain the boon. If they're someone like Shirou or Shinji who has magic circuits (with Shinji's being described as latent or whatever), those will also be activated too. Though for Shinji's case, his circuits are so pathetic he's better off with aura.
Anyway, time for a brawl in the yard as everyone plays together.