Chapter 5
Shirou look around at place he was on, he was surrounded by two houses that look ancient with pot lay beside it.
He heard a small sound of cheering behind the houses, curious about it, he went straight towards the source.
A bright ray of light shone on him as he covers his eyes with his arm.
As the picture came in full view, Shirou could see people from all ages and sizes were cheering for a blond man on the stage.
A mage cloaked in white Robe with a wooden staff was standing him.
The blond man held his sword up high and the crowd began to cheer more intensively.
Shirou almost took a step forward and was stop as a familiar called out to him "Hey young man, are you going to abandon me, just like everybody else?"
Shirou turned around and saw Morgan in her teens as she walks elegantly towards him "Even though I was born first, my sister Artoria was always the favorite out of us, receiving love and praises from the townspeople while they had forgotten about me."
"Younger Sister?" Shirou thought but was put on the back of his mind as Morgan continued with her speech "But I will have my vengeance against all who have forsaken me." She glared fiercely at the crowd with her hands grabbing the air.
Shirou was at a loss for words, he could not even imagine what she might have gone through all this time. He stand in front of Morgan, kneel down on and put her hands around her back, surprising her in the process "You don't have to bear this anymore, even if everyone have disregarded you, I will still be there for you."
Letting go of Morgan, Shirou smiled at her and she started to cry, tears poured down her face in waves. She wiped it clean and decided to hug Shirou back "Thank you Shirou, I will never forget your kindness!"
A bright light blinded Shirou as her smile was the last thing Shirou seen before the scenery shifted. This time it was on a field of flowers, colorful flower was blown all over the place with a black dragon was sitting in the middle of his view, guarding what look like a giant glow ball. Shirou look up and was enchanted by the dazzling black sky with star and different colors of light.
Then a blonde hair girl walked towards the dragon and raise her hands as if calling out to the dragon, she spoke a few words that Shirou could hear inside his head "Wake up."
The dragon opens his emeralds eyes "I will never again…leave you all alone." The blonde lady smile as the dragon touch her hand with his talons and a rainbow of light appear in between, blinding shirou as he looks away.
Once the light was gone, Shirou could see a familiar figure was holding hand with the lady, descending slowly until he hit the ground. Tears flow down her cheek as they both smiled at each other and the man breath out sound of relief.
"Was it a long journey?"
"Not as long as yours."
Holding hands, the man looks at the lady "Let's go."
"Eh?" she asked.
"I mean, there's no more need to wait, is there?" The man smiles brightly at her.
"Yes. A new world is waiting for you." The blonde lady nods her head with a light blush on her cheeks. Shirou could feel the strong bond between the two.
"But, before that," the lady use both her hands and grab the hand with the command seal "I have something important to tell you.
She placed it near her chest as the man stare her lovely face wondering what she wanted to tell him "I am in love with you."
Hearing the confession, the man a gave a slight smile "I see…I already know that."
"Since when?" She asked.
"Ever since the time at the town, I couldn't really tell, but I sort of can feel your lust towards me." He explained.
"Ah, don't call it lust!" The lady lightly beat on the man chest, causing him to laugh.
Shirou smile heartwarmingly at the two as this was one of those times, he was able to relax and feel the wind blowing around him. Then the two turn around and look at him.
Not knowing what to do, Shirou raised his hand to greet them "Err, yo…"
The man walks towards him "Yo Shirou, I see that you have wonder into the reverse side even it's just a dream."
"Y-you're Sieg, right?" Shirou asked
Sieg nods his head "Yes, I am one of the servants you summon."
"So, who's the girl beside you?"
"Oh, let me introduce to you, this lady here is Jeanne d'arc whom also known as Ruler." He added on "She's my lover."
She bent her knees a bit and lift her white dress in a form of greeting "Nice to meet you Emiya Shirou."
Taking a closer look at her, Shirou senses a familiarity between Jeanne, saber and Morgan, from her face to her hair Shirou could see the resemblance except for the eyes, while the sisters are emerald green, this girl was of more purple in color "Wait…" He moves his hand on his chin, was lost in thought.
Jeanne was confused at what she should do, she looks at Sieg who shrug his shoulder then angle her upper body closer to see was going on with him "Err…Shirou?"
"Huh oh sorry I was thinking about something."
"Nice to meet you Jeanne d'arc…" then Shirou was dumbfounded at what Sieg said" wait lover?"
"Yeah, she was all over me since the first time we met!" Sieg explained.
"Sieg-kun, that is just embarrassing for me!" Jeanne put her hands on her red face.
Shirou laughed awkwardly at them "So where is this place?"
"This is the reverse side of the world where gods, phantasmal species and divine spirit live after the outer layer was established." Sieg explained.
Shirou was in awe at the spectacle, even though it was just a dream for him "Right now, you are standing at the edge of it."
"I feel like I want to punch myself to wake up from all this." Shirou exaggerated.
Sieg and Jeanne giggle, knowing what he meant "Maybe we can help you with that!"
Afraid what they might come up with, Shirou wave his hand "Wait please don't, I will do it myself so don't do anything that will give me a heart attack."
"All right, we won't do anything to you." Sieg answer to his prayer.
Shirou sigh in relief as he scratches his head "So what are we gonna do now?"
"We will send you back from here." A gust of wind flew by and gather all the flower in the area, Shirou wobbled around and levitated out from the ground into the air.
"A last piece of advice from me…" Sieg shouted "If you keep walking on the path that you are right now, no doubt you will face challenges in your way!"
Before Shirou could asked what, he meant by that, the world changes around him as a white light engulfed him.
Shirou woke up from his dream and the was in the dark room. He looks below to see Rin sleeping soundly on his body "So she makes a face like that." He smiles making a silent sound while combing through her hair.
"I see that you are awake Shirou…" Shirou flinched by Rin sudden movement as she looks at him "Good Morning…"
She moves out of Shirou body and proceed to yawn "Eh, when did you…"
"Wake up? Hmm…the same time as you." Rin replied.
"Then why didn't you tell me…"
"Because, I wouldn't enjoy the moment!" Rin smirk at Shirou as he groans "What sort of reason is that…?"
"Well, we haven't been together ever since you summon that Avenger, so I figure this would be another chance for us!"
Rin make a smile that Shirou couldn't refuse "Just do what you want."
"Then I'll do that."
The room was silent with Rin lying on top of Shirou before he broke the silence "Hey Rin…"
"What is it Shirou?" Shirou was having second thought about but decided to tell her anyway everything that happen in his dream.
"Let me get this straight, you had this two-way dream where you had to calm Morgan lily that have abandonment issue and then you were jealous of Sieg and a women that look like saber having lovely dovely moment in a field of flowers…" Rin wanted to confirm what Shirou had said.
"First of all, don't call it like that and second, since when I was jealous?"
"But I'm right, aren't I?" Rin tease Shirou as he looked away in embarrassment" Anyway, just don't tell anyone about this."
"All right, I won't."
Shirou exhale heavily putting his hand on his face, he turns and looks at the morning and realize it was already morning with the sun shining on his face "Rin, it's shouldn't we be getting out of bed already?"
"Eh, It's already that late?" Rin panicked while Shirou flicks at her head looked at her knowing she forget something like that "Ouch…what did you do that for?"
"Idiot…don't panicked."
"Sorry…" she got off Shirou and both proceed to get out of the room.
They saw the rest of the gang in the living room "Oh Good Morning, Rin, Shirou!" Gray greeted them.
"Good Morning." Rin yawned while Shirou said the same exact word to them.
Once Rin and Shirou got ready, they sat at the sofa with Morgan and Sieg beside Shirou and Gray and El-Meilloi ll on the opposite.
Shirou look at Sieg and Morgan remembering his dream but turned quickly when they notice his stare, "Master?" Sieg asked.
"I-It's nothing…" question marks filled the air as the two servants look at each other and back to Shirou. Their conversation was interrupted when a door bust open behind the living room as they look, El-Meilloi ll appeared with black bag under his eyelid.
"I see you guys are feeling energetic." El-Meilloi ll proclaimed.
"Not in the least…"
"Well you should be, because today we are going to locate the holy Grail."
All their eyes were deeming with seriousness when El-Meilloi ll said that as they know what sort of danger is coming their way, they don't know when their enemy is going to strike or even the tactics they use, they also don't have any clues to which master did the Grail chose to use their wishes as food to make a miracle, all they know is that it shouldn't be in their hands.
El-Meilloi place a lot of paper on the table, with scribble and lining on "Wait isn't this a map?"
"Yes, while you guys were sleeping, I took the liberty of getting the map of different parts of japan."
"Huh, how did you have time to get all this?" Rin look at El-Meilloi grumpy face and realized her mistake" Ah sorry, shouldn't have said that." She apologizes.
El-Melloi sigh and arrange the map in order and the gang look at it" it took some time, but with modern magic, I was able to enlarge the map to the whole of japan and mark the places where the high concentration of magic will be."
The gang stared at the map in amazement as El-Meilloi was filled with accomplishment of his work "Muhahaha, did you see the beauty that is modern magic!" He voiced out his speeches.
"Shishou, you're doing it again!" Gray sighs and facepalm herself to hide.
El-Meilloi realizing what he were doing gave a cough while remain compose "Ahem, sorry about that…now I got that out of my system,"
"There are quite a few places we should be visiting; but this is where the highest mana is being gathered." He points his finger on the red circle.
The gang look at where El-Meilloi ll had place his finger at and was surprised.
"Eh, isn't this in Musutafu!?" Rin shouted, "We're going that far a place!?"
"Yes, and from the information I have gathered, it seems that a high school is also located there." El-Meilloi ll explained to them "U.A High School, the number one dream school for student to aim for their dream…it might sound preposterous, but this is a parallel world, so anything can happen."
"And apparently, they build an arena with forest, city, mountains and plants as their training base."
"That's true, so how are we going to go through the school?" Rin asked.
"We can't get past the system, it's too tight, but…" El-Meilloi ll gave an evil smile that send a chill down their spine "I'm gonna have you infiltrate the campus as a student of hero course."
The room was silent until all went nuts "Huhhhh!"
"You have got to be kidding me!" Rin voice out her problem "No way I'm going back to school again!"
"Shishou, I will follow you wherever you go, but this is just too much!" Gray added to the argument
"And by the way, aren't we above the age limit required!?" Shirou asked.
"The age limit is not a problem." El-Meilloi snap his finger and Morgan went up from her seat to his side. She then put out a flask with the content of blue mist "With the modern magic and ancient sorcery, we were able to whip out an illusion spell and put in this cylinder." El-Meilloi added on "The illusion is supposed to make other people see you as a high school kid, but in reality, you still retain your 20 years of experience and knowledge."
Everyone pause for bit until Rin was the first to said, "Are there any side effects to this potion?"
"Well, of course there will be a bit of side effect, but nothing so major, but…"
Rin knowing that hesitation meant nothing good, but still went to ask him "But?"
El-Meilloi was about to say it, Morgan interrupted El-Meilloi "The one drawback of this potion, which is your magic ability will be lowered."
"Well, that's' not so bad, I can still manage even if I have to use washup magic." Rin said filled with accomplishment "Shirou, how about you?"
"Me? Well…." Shirou stared into the ceiling closing his eyes, gathering his thoughts together, whether this is a good idea or not, he will have to choose carefully.
"Alright, El-Meilloi ll, I'll enroll in the school along with Rin."
having satisfied with what Shirou has chosen, El-Meilloi ll open the cork and the mist was flowing out of the bottle "Tohsaka Rin, Emiya Shirou, go to an open space and stand there."
Rin and Shirou did as he told them to and stood behind the sofa area, El-Meilloi ll place the flask in front of them and the blue mist swirl out of the bottle, expand it radius until it covers both completely.
Once the gas was dissolved into atoms, all that left was Rin and Shirou "Huh, I don't any different…" Rin said while looking at her hands.
"That's because to you, you don't look any different, but to us, you look like a couple of teenagers." El-Meilloi ll explained.
Rin and Shirou just look like themselves except for shorter and a bit less mature as Morgan, Sieg and Gray stared at them, completely speechless with their teen form.
Morgan then walk to Shirou and went to stretch her hand to measure his head to her head as he still a bit taller than her, and was thinking "His pretty cute…"
Shirou was blushing and feeling annoyed at the same time as her gesture was calling him short "Could you please stop that…" He said while trying to hold it in as his face was twitching.
"Eh, but your cute form is just so tease able!" Morgan tease while poking his cheek "Isn't that right Sieg?"
"Eh, Err…well…it's okay, I guess?" Sieg fumble his words as his face was blank.
Shirou put his hand on his face "Alright I get it, just don't call me cute or anything like that, I'm not a kid anymore."
Morgan having enough fun with him nod her head "Fine."
"Thank you, now then, how do you suppose to get us to infiltrate the school?" Shirou asked.
"It's simple actually…all you have to do is get through a series of trial prepared by the school and you'll get in."
"What, it's that easy?" Rin added to his statement.
El-Meilloi ll cross his finger and level it on his forehead "but the rumor I've heard are not quite as pleasing as they are…" Everyone stared at El-Meilloi with a hint of fear.
"What do you mean?" Sieg asked.
El-Meilloi ll took a cigarette and light it up before smoking it "Every year, that school has prepared different kind of examination for student all around japan and they are not be taken lightly… from what I heard, the exam are pretty gruesome for people with no power and their acceptance rate for the hero course is pretty low, only 85 people can be enrolled into the two classes."
"I see…so it's that kind of school."
"But we have survived the Holy Grail war, didn't we?" Shirou replied.
The gang glance at Shirou and felt a strong-willed feeling oozing out from him.
Rin smiled and took a step forward "That's right, no matter how many times we were thrown in dangerous situation, we always managed to come out on top!"
Shirou and Rin focus their gaze at each other and gave a tap with the back of their hands.
Feeling their determination, El-Meilloi ll stood up and went to his room and brought out a rectangle black case from his room. Everyone came in closer to take a peek for their own curiosity as El-Meilloi opened the case "I promise to Zelretch that I would support you in the upcoming war, didn't I?"
As the content of the case open, El-Meilloi pulled back for everyone to look and Shirou widened his eyes "Isn't this!?" he turned his head to looked at Rin and saw the fear on her face.
"A black bow?" Gray depicted the content inside the case as El-Meilloi lifted it up with both his hands "The department of modern Mage craft Theories have been working on this for quite some time now. This bow is known to be able to fire a noble phantasm as powerful as a nuclear weapon from a faraway distance, causing destruction in its wake."
El-Meilloi ll with the bow laying on his two arms stood in front of Shirou "This is yours now." Shirou gulped as he stares at bow, knowing that this bow was use by his future counterpart. Morgan, Sieg and Gray could only watch while Rin, even though having promise to Archer to look after Shirou did not stop him as what she does would just get in his way.
Shirou was drown by his own thoughts, clenching his hand hard, whether to walk on the path of his future self or not, this is a choice only he can make.
Noticing his despair, Morgan and Sieg walk up beside him and gave a loud hit on the back, shocking him with pain in the process as he stumbles onto the ground "O-ouch, what did you do that for?"
Shirou look up to see Morgan and Sieg "My master, what are you hesitating for?" both spoke out in a high tone voice.
Shirou sat down, crossing his leg and ruffled his hair "What can I do about it?... there are circumstances which I need to decide by myself."
"Hehhhh…I didn't think you would be type to easily cower under pressure." Morgan wanted to talk more but was stop by Sieg.
He knelt in front of Shirou "Master…I was given life by a certain hero in the past and to repay that hero, I use his power to save my fellow homunculus."
"What are you trying to say?"
"What I'm saying is that, instead of rejecting the power given to you, use it to make your ideal come true!"
Hearing what Sieg said, Shirou jolted and stood up "I see…Thank you Sieg, Morgan for encouraging me, I won't waver anymore! Even if walking the path of selflessness will lead me to my demise, I will continue to move forward!" He grabs the bow out from El-Meilloi ll hands and strap the bow at his back.
The bow dissolved into thin air, waiting for it to be call out by its welder.
" Lord El-Meilloi ll…when does the examination take place?" Shirou asked in a commanding voice. El-Meilloi ll smiled and gave his answer "It will take place in ten months."
"I see…then until that time, we'll train ourselves to the fullest!"
Everyone in the room was filled with determination at the sound of Shirou "Then I will expect great things from you!" El-Meilloi look at Shirou and gave smirk, knowing he would become even better than what he was in the present.
