Fate: Fake Hero

by Eldritch Namer

On a cold, snowy night, Shirou made a wish. He wished for Miyu's happiness, giving her up to a world that could do more for her than his own. Her happiness was dependent on him though, so he unwillingly came along for the ride. Why did the Grail send them to a world like this, though? Why do Heroic Spirits walk the earth as humans? What's a Quirk? Wait, a Pro-what?

1. Prologue

Shirou's POV

"It's been so long… how've you been doing, Julian?"

My voice echoed throughout the icy walls of the former dragon's den.

Standing before me was Julian, still wearing his brown Homurahara uniform. His dark eyes met my amber ones, nothing but unfiltered hatred in them. He's been waiting here for a while, has he?

A million questions ran through my mind, including the things I wanted to hear and the things I wanted to know. But one thing took precedence. "…Give Miyu back." My voice was firm, and my hands were clenched tightly in resolve. The only thing I received was an angry glare.

"That… would be betraying all of mankind, Emiya." He spat out my name. His forehead squeezed in frustration and anger. His shoulders trembled with every second he had to look at me. He must've been pissed. "I… I don't even know where to start with you, Emiya. Should I be laughing? Crying? I just don't get you. Doing something so unforgivable… makes you the worst kind of evil." He continued, eyes burning with hatred.

I found myself sympathizing with the man, despite his cruel words. I had no clue that we were so similar. "To think…" I understood how it felt to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. To be given such a duty, it would drive a normal man into madness. You'd have to already be crazy to be okay with such a thing. The thing was though, neither of us were particularly sane. "…we've both been fighting alone this entire time…"

"DO NOT ACT LIKE YOU KNOW, EMIYA! DON'T ACT LIKE YOU UNDERSTAND ME!" Spittle flew from his mouth. "YOU HAVE NO IDEA! THE PAIN, THE SUFFERING, THE AGONY! YOU DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT IT'S LIKE!"

"Heh… that's the thing, Julian… I know exactly what that's like." I replied calmly. "Kill one to save ten, kill ten to save a hundred, kill a hundred to save a thousand. I knew someone like that, all too well."

My adoptive father, Kiritsugu Emiya.

The man who'd save a random kid he'd never met before. The man who took me in, and trained me with Magecraft. The smile he wore on his final night was one I'd remember till the day I died. We talked a lot about being 'Allies of Justice'. I even swore to become one for the both of us.

Those ideas were only reinforced when I installed EMIYA for the first time. When I installed EMIYA, I learned how he stuck to those ideals until he even became a Counter Guardian. We were the same person, so every memory, every bit of knowledge, his thoughts, his dreams… even his suffering became mine.

While they were all different people, they all shared the ideals that Julian clung to for life.

"Did you know Julian? About Miyu's family… About the Sakatsuki family." I asked curiously. His anger turned to confusion, and he waited for me to elaborate. "They kept all their records, the records of their ancestors. All the way back from the very first generation to Miyu's. They were the 'Children of God', who could grant wishes unconditionally, even their own. Have you ever wondered what they'd wish for?" When I asked Julian that, he broke eye contact. After a moment of contemplating, all he could draw were blanks. He was genuinely curious now. "The wellbeing of their children… that's all they ever wished for. They could've wished for fame or fortune, but all they ever wished for is what any good parent would wish for their child." I paused to let those words sink in.

"And they did it for over 400 years without exception."

"Tch."

"And if you consider that to be evil…"

I marched past him. I dug this grave myself.

"…then I'm fine with being evil."

It was time to lie in it.

-lll-

"Ha…" I exhaled, able to see my breath in the cold.

The cavern was frigid, the hike up here was taxing, the entire cavern was a maze. You could probably fit this thing in downtown Fuyuki and then some. And in the center of it all was an altar.

An altar my sister lay upon.

"Miyu…"

The little girl I saved from a collapsing roof. The girl who could save the world at an unimaginable cost. The girl who was adopted into the family. The girl I loved and cherished above all else.

Not that I could save anyone else, anyways.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and shook that thought out of my head.

"Onii… Chan…?"

Large eyes the color of gold met tired eyes of the same color.

I smiled a true smile, and kneeled down to her level. "I… I'm sorry I took so long Miyu. I probably made you wait for a while…"

"W-Why…" That gaze was full of sorrow and betrayal. I could feel the sadness in her tone. My heart was twisted and wrenched in ways that no weapon ever could. I would know. I do know. "Why did you come? I… I heard it from them… those people…"

My smile broke as she spoke.

"Those people told me the reason you and Kiritsugu took me in." Miyu choked on a sob. It seemed like she accepted her fate, like she accepted that was duty bound as a pawn. As a tool. An object to be used until it broke, then tossed away. "To use my power… that's all I was to everyone. A tool to be used. That in Kiritsugu's place, they would use me… to save the world."

Tears flowed from her eyes without end. The thought of being used up like garbage hurt her more than anyone else. She was afraid of death. She didn't want to die, and be used like a tool.

Emiya Miyu had wishes of her own. Seeing the ocean. Knowing freedom. Living.

"So then why… Why did you come here!? To use me like everyone else!?"

The one I came to see as my own sister did not want to fade into the cold night.

"That… goes without saying." I said, reaching into my pocket. I felt my fingers wrap around a set of seven cards. A sign that I won the Grail War. A sign that the other six competitors were defeated, killed, with the exception of the Berserker Card's owner, who escaped due to Berserker's God Hand. One after another, they came after me. Most of them were puppets belonging to the Ainsworth, brought back from the dead to fight on their behalf. But there were probably one or two that were nothing more than ravenous beasts fueled by their greed. "I'm your brother, you said it yourself. So it's my job to protect you." My smile returned.

The first of the Class Cards, the Saber Card, depicted a knight in full plate armor. Arthur Pendragon, or more specifically Artoria Pendragon, the Once and Future King of Britain. The woman one of my counterparts chased after, and another had to defeat to destroy the Grail. Her wish was for Britain to have a happier ending, after it fell under her rule.

The Archer Card showed a woman with light armor wielding a bow. EMIYA, the nameless Hero of Wrought Iron. My future self from an alternate universe. He wished to be freed from his eternal duty, to no longer be a Counter Guardian. Whether that be by killing his younger self, or living a life in a special Security Organization. But that would probably never happen. The Will of Humanity just won't let her sword go, even after an eternity.

The Lancer card depicted a man in formal clothing, wielding a lance in one hand. Cu Chulainn, the Shield of Ireland. The man who pierced my other selves' hearts with a spear the color of blood. He just wished for a good fight, one fitting of a true hero after being betrayed in his final battle.

The Caster Card showed an old man, wearing robes and sporting a long beard. In one hand was a staff, in the other was a book. Medea, the Witch of Betrayal. She wished to find 'home' after being abandoned by her lover, wherever or whomever that may be with.

The Assassin Card showed a man wearing a skull mask, with black cloth wrapped around their waist and blades in both hands. Hassan-i-Sabbah, the Man of 100 faces. Apparently, his wish was something along the lines of the name Hassan existing forever.

The Rider Card showed someone in armor, riding a chariot with the reins in their hand, a weapon in the other. Medusa, the Gorgon. The Servant of the Matou Siblings in another world. She wished to protect her true master, having killed her own sisters in rage.

The last of the cards, the Berserker Card, depicted a man with the head of a beast, angry at the world. Heracles, Son of Zeus. I don't know what he wished for, though. If his story was anything like Rider's though, then he probably wished to protect children, having slaughtered many in a fit of madness caused by Hera, including his own son. That was the very reason he completed the Twelve Labors. Berserker did go beyond his legend to protect his young master, and even after she died to avenge her.

But none of those wishes were mine. All I wished for was to protect Miyu, the one thing that these selfish, empty hands of mine could hold. The one thing that they could save. Even if it meant dooming the world, and even if it meant being the worst kind of evil.

As long as she was happy, I could care less.

The seven cards floated into the air of their own volition, and I took Miyu's hand in my own, her eyes wide in surprise. "I've been trying to figure it out, what to do. It's been mistake after mistake with me, and this is probably one too." I sighed, before smiling at her as kindly as I could. "But regardless, this alone is true. I wish upon the Holy Grail…

"I pray you find a world where you won't have to suffer any longer.

"I pray that you meet kind people.

"I pray that you make friends you can laugh with.

"I pray that you find a warm, small…

"Share of Happiness."

The Grail responded to my wish immediately, as light filled the cavern and Miyu began to float off the ground. Despite that, I did not let go. I slowly stood up as she rose into the air, my hand still holding hers. Even when our hands began to part, her small fingers tried desperately to hold on to my own. "Onii… chan…" She said softly, closing her eyes as a tear leaked out. I watched with bated breath as she was gently lifted into the air far beyond my reach, before turning away from my dear sister.

Someone else stepped into the bounded field.

I walked down the plateau, greeting my final opponent.

It was time to end this. Once and for all.

-lll-

3rd POV

Despite appearances, Miyu was very much awake, so she could see the battle between her brother and her captor. She knew that he'd lose. Not that she didn't believe in her brother's strength, nor that she thought he was unmotivated. But not only did his opponent have access to an endless number of Noble Phantasms, but she was also completely invulnerable. Any attack that could've hit her would phase right through because of her Displacement.

Even when he started using the powers of his own Archer Card, despite it being right above her, he was still at a disadvantage. Even if he could counter nearly every weapon thrown at him, he couldn't stop them all. Not to mention the fact that Angelica could just open a portal between the two to keep him away. After getting forcibly launched back the second time, he tore off his coat and held out his left hand, supporting it with his right. "My body is made out of swords…" He began to chant.

And the battle only grew more intense from there.

After an intense game of keep away, where Shirou withstood Angelica's attacks as he chanted, the two disappeared into a large dome. An impossible reality that was a fusion of the Heroic Spirit's and his own. A black sky absent of stars, where the silver moon hung high above. A wasteland full of snow, a never ending storm that limited vision, and sunk into the wastes were weapons. Swords, spears, axes, knives, halberds, hammers, daggers, arrows and more… a near endless land of weapons.

Somehow, Miyu saw it all. And she hated it. She only just learned that her brother truly loved her, that he didn't see her as a tool, and he was ready to be abandoned in this world and die for her sake.

And she rejected it.

'I… I don't want Onii-chan to go… Any world without you is meaningless to me… You promised to show me the ocean. I wish Onii-chan… I WISH ONII-CHAN WOULD COME WITH ME!'

Neither her brother nor his opponent heard her. Only a single entity could hear her plea. And the Holy Grail got to work.

At the moment, it was merely drawing energy to fuel the wish. So the wish could still be changed, not to mention the strength of the Vessel's will forcing the change through. And that's exactly what happened. Now, it did not merely look for a good world for the Vessel to live in and enjoy, though it did have something in mind before that wish of hers overwrote her brother's. A world very similar to this one. Now, it had to take into account the Subject's happiness, too.

The Grail knew what made its Vessel happy (Mainly the Subject), so it searched through the Subject's memories to find what made him happy. And it took a bit of searching, since he was rarely ever happy, the Vessel aside. But there were two things that stood out to it, two aspects that were core to the Subject's being.

The first was obviously his sister, Emiya Miyu, aka the Vessel. The Subject cared for her deeply, his very being here a sign of his dedication to protecting her. He didn't wish for her to be in any danger.

So the Grail would search for a world where she would be safe.

The other thing that stood out to the Grail was Heroes. He wished to be a hero, but learned of its impossibility when he was young. So he could only ever admire it from afar. And he completely abandoned it when he chose to save his sister. But he never hated it. He could never hate a dream so beautiful and pure.

So the Grail would search for a world where Heroism was within his reach.

In the first, powerful demons serving their master turned humans into more demons, mindlessly slaughtering them otherwise. Men and Women called 'Demon Slayers' used special 'Breathing Techniques' and 'Nichirin Blades' to fight off these demons and protect humanity. It could potentially work… but it was a highly dangerous world for his sister to live in. One wrong move, and she might become a demon. And if the Subject was forced to put down the only family he had left... it would break him.

The second world was a world of Pirates. One upon a time, a man named Gol D. Roger was executed, leaving behind his greatest treasure. So millions of people took to the seas, in search of said treasure. But this world didn't need a hero, so that one was off the table, too.

The third was a world where the gods descended from heaven to join their children out of boredom. The world had monsters, dungeons, heroes, it was almost perfect. But it was wrong to pick up girls in a dungeon, and the Subject happens to be a bit of a flirt due to the Counter Guardian's influence. So unfortunately, it had to skip this one, too. Perhaps it was for the best, explaining the Vessel's existence to these gods would be difficult. Maybe in another universe, such a thing could be possible. But in this one, the Grail would have to look past this fantastic world.

There were thousands of worlds like this, which seemed to fit the criteria but had their own flaws that made them unsuitable. It wasn't just searching for a good world, it was searching for the best. And it wouldn't settle for anything less. And after narrowing down the possibilities and excluding worlds too ludicrous to be okay with either the Subject or the Vessel, the Grail found it. A world where a sudden mutation randomly appeared in humankind, and superpowers appeared from out of nowhere. A world of 'Quirks', heroes, villains… Schools where heroes are trained to save lives…

Not to mention that a select few of the beings in this could hold their own against servants with just their natural abilities, including the world's most popular hero and strongest villain. Just imagine if they were servants and their fame strengthened them further… They'd be absolute monsters.

However, there were a few thousand worlds that were near identical to this one. Some in which a certain individual became a villain instead of a hero or they received a Quirk, and some where heroism itself was a front. There were even the… stranger… ones that the Subject wouldn't touch with a 39 and a half mile stick, especially not with the Vessel around. What made this one specifically unique was its even more unusual inhabitants, with many that the other worlds did not share. Perhaps the Subject would recognize a few.

So the Grail prepared to send the two to the perfect world it found. As the Subject knocked away sword after sword with his fake copies, the Grail locked onto the coordinates of this new world. As the Subject was sent into a freefall and countered two massive blades with his own, the Grail selected the Subject and the Vessel as the targets which would receive the fruits of the wish. As the Subject and the Counterfeiter's two unstoppable forces collide, the Grail pulled the Vessel from this world, sending her to her new home. As Ea shattered the Reality Marble, and the Subject spoke to himself of his promise to the Vessel, the Holy Grail carried him from this world as well. It made sure to take everything related to the Grail War with them, including the other Class Cards waiting in the Counterfeiter's workshop. It wasn't like this world needed any of them anymore, and perhaps they would provide the Subject with a challenge when he recovered.

The Counterfeiter, on the other hand, could only grit her teeth in anger. She had just lost her master's last chance at saving the world, and couldn't even take the Subject's head as a consolation prize. She was not looking forward to speaking to her master, he would be furious. The Grail almost pitied her. Almost.

-lll-

I expected to be dead. But since I could open my eyes, I clearly wasn't. I must've been imprisoned by the Ainsworth, then. But I wrong there, too. I seriously doubted the Ainsworths would put me in a sofa, unhurt and unrestrained. I looked around me, and all I saw was an endless world of repeating patterns and light. A Kaleidoscope, I realized. But that didn't help me figure out where I was. If anything, it confused me more. I looked down, and realized that the chair was just floating midair. I don't think even the Ainsworths could pull off something like this, even with their Displacement.

"Hmm, how unusual. You don't see this everyday." A sudden voice spoke to me, and I looked around in search of its origin. After a moment, a wooden table with two cups and a teapot appeared in front of me, the teacup floating off the table to fill the two cups. After another few seconds, a second chair appeared opposite of mine, an old man with red eyes sitting in it. "Worry not, boy. I'm merely here to talk. Nothing more."

"Am I dead?" I asked first, having figured out the identity of the man the moment I saw him. I didn't know him personally, but he was deeply rooted into EMIYA's memory. Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg, the Kaleidoscope. The sole user of the Second True Magic, and going by the same name.

"Hmm... not quite. Very close to it, but not quite. If you don't mind me asking, how did you end up like this, boy?"

"I... took a direct hit from Ea. It smashed through my Reality Marble, and I was bleeding out on the ground. I was... I was talking to myself about... Miyu. Is Miyu safe?" I replied, before asking my own question. I don't know why I'm being so open about it.

"Yes, she is quite alright. You'll be joining her soon, as a matter of fact. And no, I don't mean that as in 'she's in the afterlife and you will join her after I kill you'. I wouldn't be so hands on about it, if that were the case." He explained, making various hand movements as he crossed his legs. He picked up his teacup with two fingers, raising it to his mouth and taking a sip. After a moment, he gestured for me to have a drink, too. I nodded, picking up my own cup and taking a sip. It tasted… purple.

"So what do you mean by that?" I asked, setting my cup back down onto its coaster. I did my best to ignore that last thing he said.

"The Holy Grail, you made a wish upon it, yes? And this is one of those worlds where it isn't corrupted, rather it's functioning as intended?" He asked two questions, both receiving a nod. "Now, you wished for your sister's happiness, did you not?" Another nod. "And tell me, boy, what exactly makes you think that she could be happy without you? You've already established that you care for her, and that the bond you share with her is real. And immediately after, you run off and nearly get yourself killed. Do you believe she would accept that?"

"..." I stay silent. How could I respond to that? I was so focused on giving saving Miyu, I didn't bother thinking about what she wanted. I was being selfish. Then again, going against the Ainsworths in the first place was selfish, too. "I really am the worst of the worst..." I muttered.

"Now now, don't be like that, boy. You're young, you still have your life ahead of you. And a whole new world to boot. This time, without any major events missing from history." Zelretch said casually, as if inter-universe travel was as simple as the weather. To him, it probably was. What was that about a major event missing from history? "Now, where was I? Ah, that's right. Because that sister of yours changed the wish, you will both end up in a parallel world. I'd imagine that the specific world you will end up in will seem shocking to you, so I'd recommend bracing yourself prior to arrival, boy." He spoke again, taking another sip.

"Is that so?" I asked skeptically. For some reason, I was taking this pretty well. To be fair, EMIYA was already quite familiar with the man, so I guess I subconsciously accepted this. "Anything else I should know about?"

"Just two more things. First, the Class Cards arrived with you. And I don't mean just the eight you came into contact with in your Grail War, I mean all of them, boy. And you will need to collect them all, if you wish to stay here without facing natural disaster after natural disaster. I'm sending a Mystic code along with you to help with their retrieval." Zelretch began, snapping his fingers. What was that about Natural Disasters? "And secondly, I'm going to deal with that 'Heroic Spirit invading your body problem' you have. Expect some side effects, having the powers of a Heroic Spirit invading your body isn't exactly a simple process, if your Heaven's Feel self is any indication." He laughed, lording his knowledge of parallel worlds over me. "Now, I guess it's time to let you go. Enjoy being a hero, Shirou Emiya!" Zelretch snapped his fingers, and Shirou disappeared before he could ask any more questions. After finishing his tea, he laughed to himself.

-lll-

When Shirou's consciousness returned, he immediately realized that he was on a beach. He could feel the grainy sand between his fingers. He could see the bright blue sky above. He could hear seagulls squawking nearby, and the waves crashing against the shore. He could taste the salt in the air…

And he could smell the garbage.

He cringed, grabbing his nose with one hand and fanning it with the other. 'Oh Alaya, what died here?' He asked, sitting up. When he did, he identified the source of the smell… for a moment he mistook the beach for a junkyard. Cars, fridges, ovens, you name it and it was probably in the piles. It was only worse for him, because he had a very keen sense of smell. Enough so that his other selves were often compared to bloodhounds, mainly by their versions of Rin Tohsaka. Obviously, they mostly meant it as a joke, but it had merit. Case in point, this place smelled worse than dog crap rotting out in the sun. He looked down at his left hand, the one pinching his nose, and froze.

His left hand, specifically his left thumb and wrist… were tan. The same kind of tan you'd see on someone who's spent years under the desert sun. Like EMIYA did. 'I thought Zelretch said he'd deal with this?' He thought, staring at his hand. He projected a mirror to use, feeling that familiar heat running through him. In doing that, he realized that his left hand was the only one to change, the other was its normal color. That was good. Looking at his face, he immediately noticed that a patch of hair over his eye turned white. Some of the newly tanned skin was crawling up his neck, and some of it was over his eye, looking somewhat like a burn scar. 'To be fair, my hair would turn white from Tracing alone, regardless of where I learned it.' He thought.

That was when he realized something, and his confusion only grew. He made the mirror disappear and replaced them with Kanshou and Bakuya, EMIYA's preferred blades. With a flash of blue light, the married blades sat snugly in his hands. Their familiar warmth of their grips provided some comfort to him in this alien world. Again, he felt that same odd feeling when he produced them, but there was something else there, too. He didn't feel Gaia degrading his creations at all.

'This doesn't make any sense.' He thought. Gaia, the collective will of the planet, would reject any unnatural phenomena that went against the natural order of the world. Magecraft was a prime example of this, using unnatural means to shape and change the world around us. Any spell, any ritual, any Magecraft that broke the laws of the would, would require constant fueling to remain, otherwise Gaia would erase them. But he stopped pouring his Od into his blades the moment they appeared, and still they remained. For there to be no Gaia… that created a slew of disturbing possibilities.

Actually, now that he paid closer attention… The mana in the air here was unnaturally thick. Thicker than his old world's mana, at least. Though that wasn't saying much, considering how drained his world had ended up. Granting that wish probably bled the local Leylines dry. Now, he was nothing but a second-rate magus (He received plenty of proper training from Kiritsugu, third-rate seems like a bit much for him), but even he could tell that something was wrong. He dismissed the black and white falchions into motes of light, and stood up. Just to make absolutely sure, he projected a few kitchen utensils between his fingers, holding them like he would with those overpriced Black Keys. Forks, knives, and spoons. All three stuck out of the gaps between his fingers. Out of curiosity, he reinforced them all and threw them at a nearby fridge. They all sunk into it with the ease of dropping a stone into water, or cutting butter with a hot knife. Even the spoons. "What the hell?" He asked, dismissing the utensils that further damaged the broken technology. Like with the projection and tracing, he didn't have to fuel the Reinforcement at all after he cast the spell.

He walked up to the fridge, and placed his hand against the side. "Structural Analysis." He spoke in a clear tone, blue lines running down his arms and onto the surface of the old piece of junk. He could read everything about it with ease, even looking into why it was thrown out. He could tell which parts of the fridge still worked, too. "Roughly... 48% of exterior has sustained damage. Reinforcement." He spoke again, focusing his Od on the damaged parts. The holes and indents on the side were undone due to his Magecraft, and it looked just like it did before throwing the utensils. He pulled his hand away slowly, still slightly anxious.

Yes, this was another world. Yes, he was aware of that. But this still feels wrong. Back in his old world, he would always expect Gaia to reject what he was doing with Magecraft, and now that it's gone… It's like scraping your knee and not feeling pain or jumping into a lake and not getting wet. It just felt like… something was missing. Something important.

The crashing of the waves pulled him from his thoughts, and he turned to look at the ocean for the first time since arriving. It was… beautiful. Despite all the trash on the beach, the ocean itself was a sight to behold. He walked up it until the water just barely touched the tips of his shoes. Despite being the same ocean that he's seen a hundred times back home, it felt so different compared to before. Back in his version of Fuyuki, it was almost a year-long winter, with only slight intervals for spring and summer. But here, it was so much warmer than even the record high in Fuyuki. So much so that Shirou was starting to get a bit stuffy in his coat. He pulled his arms from the sleeves and threw it over his shoulders, wearing it like he would a cloak. It definitely helped to cool him off, or at least stop warming up. The beach was not the best place to wear a winter jacket, especially during… Summer? Shirou couldn't know for sure, but it definitely felt like summer. Too warm to be winter, and he could hear animals nearby so it couldn't be that early into spring or late into fall. Summer was a safe guess.

Shirou watched in silence as the waves rolled in and pulled out, before shaking his head. "I can admire the ocean later, I need to find Miyu." He reminded himself, forcing himself to look away from the ocean. So he wandered the beach, in search of Miyu. He couldn't be absolutely sure they ended up in the same area, but he'd find her eventually. Hopefully soon. Fortunately, she was indeed nearby, sleeping peacefully in a clearing a bit of a walk down the beach. He felt slightly bad about having to wake her up, but he'd get over it. "Miyu. Wake up." He called, kneeling down to grab her shoulder and shake her gently. "Miyu." He repeated a bit louder. She stirred slightly, a quiet groan escaping her lips.

"Mmm… not so loud, Onii-chan…" Miyu whined, shielding her eyes from the sun. When she got a good look at his face, her eyes widened in surprise and scrambled back. "O-Onii-chan!?"

Shirou was a bit shocked at her sudden outburst, before his eyes hardened. "What's wrong? Is it an enemy? Are you hurt?" He asked frantically, a few weapons already loaded and ready to fire.

"Eh, no…" Miyu blushed embarrassed with her overreaction. "It's just… some of your skin and hair… and your body too…" Shirou raised an eyebrow at that, before running his fingers through his newly white locks, then tracing a finger over an alien scar.

"Yeah… this is what happens when you use powers that don't belong to you without some kind of protection. And don't worry about the scars, they don't really hurt." Shirou said offhandedly, brushing off his new appearance in complete contradiction to how he reacted to it before. Miyu looked slightly guilty at that, so he just pat her head with a grin. "Hey, don't worry about it. If this was all it took to save you, then I got off easy." He reassured her, causing her guilt to mostly fade. "I mean, he said he was going to fix it, but…"

"'He'?" Miyu asked, tilting her head adorably. Shirou resisted the urge to smother her right then and there. "Who's 'he'?"

"Shirou-sama is likely referring to my creator, Zelretch." A sudden voice spoke, the origin coming from Shirou's other jacket pocket. He reached into it, and found a blue hexagram. Before he could say anything, it began to glow brightly, blinding the two siblings. When the light faded, no longer was there a blue floating hexagram. In its place was… a blue magical wand with a six-pointed star and butterfly wings. It looked like a toy, in all honesty. Shirou and Miyu looked at it dumbfounded, severely underwhelmed. "It is nice to formally meet you, Shirou-sama, Miyu-sama. You may call me Sapphire." The wand spoke, bending in a way similar to a bow. Shirou lowered his head slightly to return the greeting, but he was still confused. Was this the Mystic Code Zelretch mentioned?

But before he could open his mouth, a distant explosion cut him off. Instinctively, he pulled Miyu close while calling a few blueprints to the front of his mind. However, Sapphire's words gave him pause. "It appears that there's a villain attack…" She muttered. But it was loud enough for Shirou to hear.

"I-I'm sorry, a what?" Shirou asked incredulously. Sapphire turned to him hesitantly, as if debating whether or not to explain.

"I will explain it all in due time, Shirou-sama. My creator has rented a residence for us, I will answer any and all questions there." She replied, deciding to put it off until later. Shirou grumbled, but accepted it. "Do not worry, I personally checked up on the condition of the room he obtained for you, and it is in acceptable condition." Sapphire explained, before floating off in the direction of the city.

"Well… that's good enough for us, then." Shirou gave in, turning to Miyu. "Come on, Miyu-" He began, before stopping himself. Miyu was staring off into the ocean, completely entranced with it. 'Right, I promised to show it to her.' Shirou recalled, remembering how happy she looked when he promised to bring her to see it. So he held off on getting her attention for just a bit longer. After a minute, with Sapphire watching patiently from afar, Shirou tapped her shoulder and got her attention. "Come on, Miyu. I know the ocean is beautiful, but we can come back here later."

Miyu seemed a bit miffed about that, but agreed. As the two began to walk towards the magic wand, Miyu suddenly stopped. "Actually, Onii-chan…" Miyu said, breaking the silence between them. "Can I borrow your jacket? This dress is… kind of embarrassing." She averted her gaze, grabbing the tail of his coat and covering herself up with her other hand. Shirou stared at her surprised, before shaking his head and grabbing his coat.

'What a troublesome little sister I have.' He thought, throwing the coat over her shoulders.

-lll-

"Alright, I can work with this." I nodded, standing at the kitchen counter of our temporary home. Surprisingly, Zelretch didn't give us a crappy apartment. I investigated the apartment with both my natural senses and Magecraft, and I didn't find anything out of the ordinary. The apartment was completely mundane. Sapphire did say she checked it, but I wanted to make sure.

But that wasn't to say it was basic, because it wasn't. It had a decent kitchen, nothing over the top while still being enough to cook just about anything, a living room with a TV, three bedrooms, a clean bathroom, WIFI, furniture, just about everything a normal house contained. Apparently, Zelretch rented this place out for about half a year, which gave me enough time to figure out where we'd go when our time was up.

But the part that caught us most off guard was the fact that the closets were already full, with one having Miyu's clothing (including all her animal pajamas), and another having mine (it was mostly just long-sleeved shirts, the same pairs of blue jeans, and white socks). As such, we adopted these rooms as their own. There were a few other things, mainly things that belonged to Kiritsugu, but they weren't very important right now. Did Zelretch bring these here?

"Sapphire, you said you'd start explaining." I said firmly, not saying it as a question but more like a demand. Part of what Kiritsugu taught me, back before we adopted Miyu into the family. One doesn't simply erase years of education, especially not from someone like the Magus Killer.

"Of course, Shirou-sama. What is your first question?" She replied respectfully, not at all bothered by my voice. Well that was a surprise.

"Zelretch said he'd 'deal with this'." I began, gesturing to my discolored skin and hair. "So why do I still look like this?"

"My creator likely meant preventing future damage, not reversing what already happened. All the changes done to you from using EMIYA's powers unsafely will remain. My creator likely could have reversed the damage immediately, but I believe he finds you more amusing like this." Sapphire explained calmly, causing me to tense slightly then sweat drop. "Worry not, eventually the skin will return to its natural color. I would also apologize for my creator's antics." Sapphire reassured, and I let my shoulders relax. Apparently, it wasn't entirely Zelretch's fault this time. That was a surprise. I was still a bit on guard, though. When Zelretch is involved, caution is always recommended. "Miyu-sama, do you have a question? You seem antsy." The wand spoke again, addressing the younger Emiya in the room. Miyu was a bit surprised at the attention suddenly turning to her, but nodded.

"You said 'villain attack' earlier… What exactly does that mean?" She asked politely, in complete contrast with her brother. I nodded, also wishing to know the answer to that question.

"That is… complicated. My creator has already mentioned this, but I'd recommend bracing yourself, Shirou-sama. Because we now live in a world of Heroes and Villains." Sapphire explained hesitantly.

"What?" I asked. If the situation were any different, I'd probably start freaking out. I had a lot on the mind right now, though. So I'm probably gonna do that later. Preferably without Miyu in the room. "Why?"

"Shirou-sama, do you remember your wish?" She asked, letting me deliberate on it for a minute.

"I wished she would be sent to another world where she could live without suffering, meet kind people, make friends, and be happy." I answered, remembering my exact wording. Why did that matter?

"Miyu-sama, what exactly makes you happy?" Sapphire asked, turning back to the raven-haired girl. Without hesitation, she looked at me. "So it is Shirou-sama and his happiness that makes you happy, correct?" A nod from Miyu. "So Miyu-sama will only be happy when you are happy with her, Shirou-sama."

"That doesn't make any sense, I gave up my ideals for Miyu. If I gave up being an Ally of Justice to protect Miyu, why would we be sent here?" I asked, speaking more to myself than to anyone else in the room. I shook my head, I could think about that later. "Tell us more about this world." I said, to which Sapphire nodded again.

"Roughly 100 years ago, a baby in Qingqing City, China was born. However, the unusual thing about him was that he was glowing."

"Glowing? Like a lightbulb?" Miyu asked. Sapphire nodded yet again.

"What is he, the second coming of Jesus?" I asked sarcastically, opening the cupboards in search of anything to eat, or at least some cookware to use. I found nothing, however. Damn. I'm gonna have to go out to get them, sometime soon. Until then... are we going to have takeout? Would Miyu even like takeout? Before I learned how to cook, takeout was usually the norm. Better takeout than one of Kiritsugu's monstrosities. That man could burn water, I tell you.

"You are not entirely wrong Shirou-sama, because this baby was the beginning of a new era. An era of Quirks." Sapphire answered, much to my amusement. "After the baby was born, many more people with these unusual abilities appeared. Nowadays, roughly 80% of the entire world population has a 'Quirk', one of these unnatural abilities that mysteriously popped up. They can range anywhere from simple super strength and speed, to powerful transmutations, pyromancy, or even the ability to read minds."

"Alright, and what does that have to do with Heroes and Villains?" I asked impatiently, slightly miffed about the lack of cookware to use. Alaya, I hated takeout. Wait… couldn't I just project some until we buy proper ones? Most Magi would kill me for using Magecraft for dinner.

"As you can guess, crime rates also rose with the rise of Quirks. Other people stood up to these criminals, and the Government decided to take advantage. Rather than prohibit Quirks altogether, they worked with some Quirked individuals to help deal with the criminals and established restrictions on Quirk usage. There are academies all over the world to train these government-sanctioned 'Pro-Heroes', one of the biggest ones being Yuuei Academy, which is in this city."

"So instead of making a law that almost no one will follow, they placed restrictions on it to prevent more criminals from appearing, while encouraging more people to work with them so they can use their Quirks." Miyu reasoned, and I nodded at that. While Miyu lacked a lot of common knowledge, she knew more about mythology than most experts. Laws using similar concepts have always existed. Just goes to show how manipulative humans can be. Glad I'm not one of them anymore… Wait, where did that come from? Whatever, a thought for later.

"How clever… So the people the government works with, given licenses to fight villains, are 'Heroes', and the criminals using their Quirks illegally are 'Villains'?" I asked, to which Sapphire nodded. It was like those old comic books Kiritsugu got me way back when. I'm pretty sure they're gone now. "What about people who use their Quirks for mundane jobs? Or people who just want to practice their Quirks before arriving at a Hero School? Are they 'Villains' too?"

"It depends. While using your Quirk publicly is illegal, it's only punished as severely as jaywalking. And using it privately, such as in your own property or in areas people do not visit often, is completely legal, unless you do so to fight villains or break laws. Many people can use their Quirks for non-hero related jobs, such as construction or investigation, so long as they have a permit for it. Even outside of those situations there are exceptions, such as with Self-Defense or pardon from an authority figure. So the only people legally considered 'Villains' are intentionally using their Quirks to commit crimes or stop Villains." Sapphire explained further. "However, some Pro-Heroes are more strict, and consider any and all Quirk usage illegal. One example of this would be Japan's second top hero, Endeavor."

"What's an 'authority figure'?" Miyu asked, unfamiliar with the term. Right, I still need to teach her a lot of stuff. Where's the nearest library? Maybe I can check out some dictionaries.

"The police, firefighters, and doctors. Police officers uphold the law and deal with people who break it, Firefighters deal with any large fires that appear unexpectedly, and doctors help heal people who are hurt. Actually, Pro-Heroes would probably count too, now that I think about it." I turned to Sapphire for confirmation, who in turn nodded. "We need to get you some dictionaries soon. Maybe a few history books too…" I muttered to myself, mentally making a list of things to buy when we got the chance. "I also need to find a job, if I want to pay for any of those…" I held my chin, thinking of working as either a waiter or a bartender. My other counterparts worked at a pub/liquor ship called The Copenhagen, belonging to the father of Fuji-nee's friend, Hotaruzuka 'Neko' Otoko. So I at least knew what those jobs would entail, should I apply for either of them. "I have a lot of work ahead of me, don't I?"

"Indeed, Shirou-sama. Especially if you include the reasons my creator sent me here." Sapphire helpfully replied, earning a head-tilt from Miyu.

"Actually, why are you here, Sapphire-san?" She asked. Sapphire and I turned to face each other, before turning back to Miyu.

"Do you know what the Class Cards are, Miyu? Those cards I had with me when I found you in that cavern?" I asked, earning a hesitant nod from my sister "Well, those came with us when we arrived here. And we need to get them back so nothing bad happens. Sapphire was sent here to help us get them back."

"So Sapphire-san and I have to get the eight cards back?" Miyu asked, recalling the seven cards I brought her and Angelica's powers.

"There are several things incorrect with that statement, Miyu-sama." Sapphire spoke up, shaking her head. "There are many more than just eight cards for us to collect, at least a full deck, if not more. And Shirou-sama will be assisting us in the collection of the Class Cards."

"B-But won't that cause EMIYA to overwrite Onii-chan's existence?" She asked frantically, looking back and forth between us. She already forgot my first question to Sapphire? Then again, we weren't exactly clear about that.

"No, actually. My creator integrated the Archer Card containing Heroic Spirit EMIYA with Shirou-sama. He did this with the purpose to prevent any future influence from EMIYA. At most, Shirou-sama should expect a pseudo-dream cycle, or at least that is what is expected." She paused to look at me. "Since you already have most of Heroic Spirit EMIYA's memories, I am not completely sure what to expect." She mentioned, before turning back to Miyu. "I believe Shirou-sama and I discussed this first, before I explained this world to you." Sapphire explained, Miyu blushing slightly at her forgetfulness. I was mildly surprised at the revelation regarding the fusion of myself and the Archer Card, but it made sense. It wouldn't reverse what was done, but since I have it now, I won't have to worry about any more of EMIYA invading my body. I didn't really feel like I had the card installed right now, though.

"How exactly does that work, though? 'Integrating' the card with me." I asked, using my fingers to make air quotes.

"That is… difficult to explain in a way that makes sense, Shirou-sama." Sapphire answered slowly. "It is sort of like you have become a demi-servant, but at the same time you are more like a pseudo-servant possessing yourself. It is complicated."

"I think I get what you're saying. Essentially, the Card fusing with me puts me into a semi-permanent Installed state? And right now, it's just me unequipping my armor the same way a Heroic Spirit would?" I asked, recalling how some Heroic Spirits could remove their armor in favor of more casual clothing. The Card was kind of like a Saint Graph, now that I think about it. Sapphire was unsure, but eventually nodded. "Does that mean I can equip my armor without Installing?" I asked again, earning another skeptical nod. I took that as a yes, and made my way around the counter.

My body became enveloped in blue light. My legs, torso, left arm, and around my forehead had been completely blocked. And once again, I donned Archer's garb. Well, technically. It was very similar to the Counter Guardian's red shroud, but with various changes. Some were more obvious, like the single sleeve, the yukata over my shoulders, and the headband, but some were more minor.

First off, the waist cape was held together by a white sash instead of the metal plate EMIYA had, and it split at the back. Next, most of the red shroud I was wearing was lined with black, and my sleeve didn't have any metal on it. Both of EMIYA's sleeves, as well as his armor, had collars, while I did not. The pants were slightly different, with the armor tucked into it and not the other way around. The agemaki knot at the top of my sleeve had four loops instead of three, and it was much larger. There was also a cherry blossom in the center. My steel-toed boots weren't as round as EMIYA's, and my ankle guards were lower. They were very minor differences, but all together they separated me from EMIYA, while taking aspects from Sengo Muramasa and Angra Mainyu.

I stood back up, the yukata flowing like a cape in a wind that wasn't really there. I looked down at myself, letting out a low whistle. This thing actually looked fairly intimidating, now that I got a proper look at it. I looked at my right arm, noting the complete lack of discoloration compared to the left. Out of curiosity, I wondered if I could dematerialize just some of my armor. As if in response, my lone sleeve turned into blue light and vanished, and I found out that tanned skin spiraled down my arm from shoulder to thumb. "So, when do we start collecting the Class Cards?" I asked, turning my now bare arm and moving my hands. They were still completely functional. Good.

"I would like to take a few days to train Miyu-sama before we begin sealing away the Class Cards, Shirou-sama. The last time I was used without training was... disastrous. I would not like to repeat it." Sapphire said, before... shuddering? "So many sheep..." I raised an eyebrow at that, but ultimately chose to ignore it. I decided to focus more on the first half of her statement. I needed to take the time to teach Miyu some regular Magecraft, too.

I really did have a lot of work ahead of me, didn't I?

---

So… I started another story. I'm either gonna get straight to work on chapter two of this story, or Chef in Hell. I'm probably gonna change up the latter's name and description if I get started on Chapter 2 of it.

Now, there's probably a few obvious questions that are gonna pop up.

1: Why do Shirou and Miyu need Sapphire?

Well, it'd be kind of hard to collect the cards otherwise. Yes, Bazett managed to collect the Archer and Lancer cards without a Kaleidostick in Kaleid, but from what I'm aware, that requires multiple magi using a ritual that neither Shirou nor Miyu would know how to perform. So that's definitely a nope.

Also, it gives Miyu a 'transformation Quirk', which would definitely stand out less than being Quirkless. Because let's be honest, if Miyu were Quirkless, she'd definitely be bullied. And if Miyu was bullied, Shirou wouldn't be very happy. Considering that the Berserker of his Grail war was Beatrice, he's fine with attacking kids. End of story. I could just have it so that Shirou teaches her Reinforcement or something, but this is more fun.

2: Why is this similar to My Oath Academia by Glader96 and Oath of the Hero by MythMaker258?

Because those two stories are never getting updated, and they're the only stories (As far as I'm aware) that cross over Miyuverse Shirou and Miyu with MHA. There is also another MHA x Kaleid story with Shirou, called Lone Fake by AWriterOfSomeThings, but that doesn't include Miyu in it. Don't worry, I won't be ripping them off anymore. And expect a Chapter 3, because none of those three stories I mentioned have one.

3: Will we see any of Illya, Kuro, Sakura, ect.?

As things are going so far? Probably. But Illya and Kuro would be nothing more than side characters that pop up from time to time, or get mentioned. Maybe a few omakes I'm planning. If you want a hint, FGO.

And Sakura? Well… no comment.

4: Will Shirou go to Yuuei?

Yes. I… don't know how to make a MHA story without including Yuuei in one form or another. And the more astute of you may have noticed that I called it Yuuei Academy, not Yuuei High. And that's because I turned Yuuei into a college instead of a normal highschool. I did this for a few reasons;

1: In canon, we're seriously expecting kids fresh outta highschool to go straight into a profession where they'd be risking their lives? Yeah… no. The only occupation where I could find that even remotely okay would be in the Military, and only during wartimes.

2: By having them be 17/18, I won't feel as awkward when Ecchi stuff happens or when Mineta starts being a perv. Because they're all 15-16, and that is super wrong. Especially considering Yaoyorozu's, Hagakure's, Tsuyu's, and Uraraka's hero costumes. Or Kirishima's and Tetsutetsu's, equal opportunists here! I mean, come on! Some of them are literally half naked, Hagakure is almost completely naked, and more than a few are in bodysuits!

3: Until the Training Camp Arc, they commute to school. And Commuting to school makes more sense for Colleges than High Schools. Also, it later turns into a boarding school, and how many high schools have you heard of that are boarding schools? Well, probably quite a few… But still.

5: What does that 'Heroic Spirits walking around' part of the summary mean?

You'll find out later. And yes, I changed the summary around three times.

Well, if you have any other Questions, leave them in the Reviews and I'll either have the answer in the next chapter or answer them personally.

Until then, this is the Namer, signing out!

Edit 1: Fixed some minor mistakes.

Edit 2: Basically rewrote the chapter.