Disclaimer: I do not own Fate/Stay Night, Highschool DxD, any of the series characters, and do this for fun and my personal pleasure.
When I look back, I remember the times when I hurt the people I cared about. I hurt them with my words and my reckless actions.
I was a fool back then.
I couldn't see that what I was doing was making the people I wanted to protect suffer.
I wish I could just go back and apologize, tell them that I'm sorry for all the pain I put them through.
But it's far too late...
I can no longer ask for their forgiveness...
For I am far beyond forgiveness.
Chapter 2:
The Master!
It hurts...
''Quickly! Take him to O.R.!'' I heard a man order.
Everything hurts...
''His state is critical, we must operate on him now.'' a woman shouted.
I could feel my body getting weaker...
''Doctor he's bleeding again!''
Everything just felt so heavy...
''Stop the bleeding, he can't lose anymore blood!''
I... can't breathe!
''Doctor he is going into respiratory arrest!''
I... need... to... breathe...
''Dammit! Prepare him for intubation!''
Everything feels so heavy... everything feels so dark...
I tried to open my eyes, but I failed to understand what I was seeing with them... All I could see were lights and some blurry forms...
My eyes closed back down... everything went completely black.
Dizzy...
That was the best word I could find to describe the way my mind felt. I don't know for how long I've been like this, but something tells me it wasn't just an hour.
I would just crack open my eyes, take a quick peek around, and then fall back asleep. I couldn't help it, I felt so tired... so weak.
During the times when my eyes were open I managed to see where I was. My body was lying in a bed... I was all covered in bandages... even my head was tied tightly in bandages. There was some kind of tube in my throat. I was connected to an odd looking machine, the room was white and clean, and right next to my head were some flowers on a small cabinet.
I think I'm in a hospital room...
I don't even know how many days had passed since I first ended up here, but I know for sure that I've been here for a while. During those brief moments that my eyes opened, I could see that the flowers next to my bed were changed with new ones.
Another interesting thing is that even though I was asleep most of the time, there were moments when I could hear the people in the room talking.
''How is he doctor?'' a woman asked… her voice sounded so sweet and gentle.
Sometimes... I was in a semi-conscious state. I would hear people talk around me, but I wasn't truly awake. It was a really odd sensation.
''Hard to tell. He was in critical condition when you and your husband brought him. It is nothing short of a miracle that he managed to survive.'' The doctor answered... I guess I was pretty messed up when I got here if I am bandaged up like this.
''I see.'' The woman acknowledged.
I heard something like a beeping sound, probably some kind of alarm or message. The man seemed to sigh as the sound ended. ''I'm sorry but I have to get back to my shift, you can stay a little longer if you want.''
''Thank you doctor.'' The woman said and I heard a door open and close... guess the doctor left. ''How long will you let the boy use it?'' she asked... wait... was there someone else in the room?
''Until he regains his consciousness. Afterwards I will extract it and we will be on our way.'' A man responded, his voice was cold and sounded somewhat mechanical.
''Are you sure this is the right choice?'' the woman asked, her voice was so sweet, yet it was filled with so much doubt.
''I just want to make sure he will be fine.'' His response sounded impassive, his voice didn't seem to let any emotion attach itself to it... and yet... strangely I can feel a kindness inside it regardless.
I heard a small giggle. Was what the man said so funny that it made the woman chuckle? ''You usually don't show this amount of concern to strangers Kiritsugu.''
''I won't deny it Iri. But there is something about this boy that got my attention.'' He told her... I wish I can see his face... somehow his voice... it sounds familiar.
I could feel his hand... he was patting my head... his hand felt so rough and hard... yet... it made me feel very safe... so safe that I fell into a deep slumber.
I opened my eyes... finally... after God knows how much time... I was fully awake.
I lift myself slowly up, my body feels so weak and heavy... I noticed that there was a nurse in the room arranging a tray on the nearby desk. I opened my mouth to call out to her, but what came out was a rough and scratched growl that seemed to scare her... I didn't know what was wrong with my voice.
The nurse looked at me, her face seemed to be a mixture of shock and surprise. She didn't say anything to me, but rather quickly went outside of the room. ''Someone call the doctor!'' I could hear her shout from outside.
I didn't even get time to move too much before a doctor stormed into the room and was looking at me like I was some kind of never before seen display. After a few minutes of staring at me the doctor coughed lightly. ''Boy can you speak?''
''Y-Yeah.'' I croaked with a small nod, my voice was weak and strained, and it was difficult to talk... especially since I have this weird tube in my throat.
The doctor raised up one his arms as he took a seat next to my bed. ''Speak slowly. You have been intubated for a rather long time, so your throat is still sore.''
I nodded at his request, the doctor then took out a small notebook and pen. ''Now boy, I will do some basic tests to see if your senses are ok.''
The so called tests went pretty well. They were basically a series of medical questions and exercises, like making me read some letters to see if my sight is ok, some deep breath exercises to see if my lungs were ok, and many others things of that nature.
The doctor smiled as he continued to write down in his notebook. ''Surprisingly you don't seem to have any permanent or lingering damage.''
I tilted my head confused. ''Isn't that good?''
''It is, but it's very surprising considering the state you were in when you were brought here.'' He explained.
''I see...'' I nodded. 'The state I was in' he says... just how bad was I when I first came here?
''Do you have any questions?'' the doctor asked me.
''Just one.'' I confirmed, there was indeed one single question that has been bugging me ever since I began to regain my consciousness, but I didn't even know how I am supposed to even ask it...
''What is it?'' he asked me curiously.
''Who am I?'' I asked him, the doctor's smile and calm demeanor vanished; the room was filled with silence.
White...
Shirou...
The ceiling at which I'm currently staring at is white.
Shirou...
Just like the state my mind is... blank... empty... white.
Shirou...
I can't remember anything... all except for one single word...
Shirou...
I tried so hard to remember something... but the only thing I seemed to remember was the word 'Shirou'.
Am I Shirou?
Is Shirou my father? My brother? Some relative? A friend? A neighbor? Just a random person that I knew? Or perhaps just a color that kept coming back to me no matter how hard I thought?
I don't know...
The doctors decided that since I couldn't remember anything, and since they have no form of identification for me, they would temporarily make Shirou my name.
Everything that is happening to me... it feels too overwhelming.
I don't know if I have a family... friends... a home... a place to go back to...
I don't even know who I truly am...
I'm scared... what's going to happen to me?
I don't know what I am supposed to do... I'm all alone...
No...
I grabbed my head... there has to be something else... anything... a name... a place... a person... I must remember something else.
I could feel my fingernails dig into my skin, but I ignore the pain as I try so desperately to remember something...
I just can't accept what the doctor told me...
After he heard my question, he immediately went and looked over my medical file... when he returned he apologized and told that me that he wasn't able to find out anything more on who I was.
From what he told me, I was caught in a gas explosion that took place in the residential area of Kuoh. I was one among many of the injured people who were brought in the hospital in critical condition, and because I seemed ok he thought I was one of the less injured patients.
In reality I was actually the most injured patient that was brought in as it turns out. The burns on my body weren't so severe, and I didn't inhale a dangerous amount of smoke. But I had an injury that put me on the 'first priority list' so to speak.
The doctors went all out on me and explained to me a bunch of words and terms that I didn't really understand, but I managed to get the basic idea.
My skull was fractured in so many places that it was unbelievable that I managed to survive the surgery. In fact from what the doctors told me, even if I did manage to recover from my injury there was almost no chance that I will get away without any permanent brain damage or without some form of mental scarring.
Setting aside that I am now suffering from full scale amnesia, they call my recovery nothing short of a miracle.
I don't really know what to say... on one hand I am very scared and confused since I can't remember anything. But on the other hand, spending my life clueless of my past but healthy does sound better than being in a near vegetative state without having any comprehension of what's going on around me.
...
I guess a loss of memory is the least worst of the possible after effects that I could have gotten stuck with from my injuries. Got to try to stay positive and hope that my memory may return to me one day.
Boring.
The hospital is boring.
Those thoughts continued to occupy my mind as time passed.
Due to my injuries I have to stay in this special care room, but it's very boring since I'm all alone here. There are doctors and nurses that come from time to time to check up on me, but they can't stay to long with me as there are other patients in the hospital that need help.
The only thing I could do in these moments was to try and concentrate. Maybe I could remember something else about myself? But each time I tried, my head always hurt very badly.
I heard a knock on the door. I turned to look and saw the doctor come in.
''Any luck remembering anything else Shirou-kun?'' the doctor asked me curiously, I shook my head no in response. The doctor sighed and began rubbing his temple. ''I know this is a lot to ask for, but try not to let it get to you. There have been cases of patients suffering from amnesia that have eventually regained their memories.''
If only I could be so positive... he doesn't have any idea how it feels to be completely blank on your own life.
Another thing that scares me is that I may very well be all alone. From what the doctor told me, I've been in the hospital for a while, and not once has someone come to identify me. He told me that among the people who were caught in the gas leak, not even one of them recognized me. He speculated that I may not have even have lived in that complex, but rather was there by coincidence.
This series of facts made my future seem very bleak.
''You know...'' I looked to the doctor who began speaking again. ''Remember the couple that I told you about? The one that brought you in?''
He did say that there was a couple that kept visiting me while I was asleep. Something about the man who saved me from under the debris of the building. I nodded my head to him.
''Well the thing is, they're here and they would like to see you.'' he explained a bit awkwardly. ''That's of course if you want to see them.''
I felt like there was something in me had just ignited from those words. I nodded my head yes to him in response.
The doctor didn't say anything, he just went outside the room. A few moments later two people entered and were standing in front of me.
I looked at them very curiously. For some reason they didn't seem like your average people to me.
The first one was a young lady with snow white hair, pale skin, and ruby red eyes. She was wearing a white fur winter coat and a matching fur hat... she was a very pretty lady.
Right next to her was a man with black hair... strangely his black eyes seem kind of vacant. He was dressed in a black suit and in a matching black trench coat. When our eyes met, my head felt like it had just split open.
It hurts!
I grabbed my head with my hands... There was something about this man that was making my head hurt.
After a few seconds of agonizing pain, multiple images flashed in my mind.
Fire. Smoke. Blood. Screams. Debris. The face of a man.
''I remember...'' I slowly muttered as I looked back at the man in front of me. No, my memory didn't return... or at least not all of it. ''...You're the man that saved me...''
I remember... I was caught under the burning debris... I was slowly dying... Yet, among those scorching pieces of rubble, I could hear a voice telling me to hang on.
I was surrounded by pitch darkness. I could hear his voice, but I couldn't tell where it came from, or how far away it was from me.
Light...
Small beams of light began illuminating the darkness. The debris was getting removed piece by piece, with the light increasing with each piece removed. I could see him.
My vision was blurry, but I could still see him. He used a large piece of wood as a pillar to keep the rest of it from falling on me.
I could see his face, he was crying... but he was also smiling.
Why?
Why was crying? Why was he smiling so happily?
I wanted so badly to ask him those questions, but my eyes closed on their own and everything went dark.
How odd… Even though everything is so dark, I could feel a gentle light surrounding me, warming my broken body.
It happened all so fast. So many flashes in so little time. Weird, I felt someone patting my back, I turned around and saw the white haired lady mere inches away from my face.
''Hi there!'' the woman greeted me with a cheerful smile. I instantly jumped and backed away, I think most people would do that if they found a stranger almost making contact with their face.
The woman was looking confused at me. As if she didn't understood why I reacted the way I did. I heard a tired sigh, it was from the man. ''Iri, what have we discussed about personal space?'' the man asked his white haired companion. His voice was cold and tired, but in it I could feel genuine affection when he talked to the woman.
The woman, who he called Iri, tilted her head slightly. ''Hmm… I need to be careful not to invade it?'' she asked a bit unsure.
''Yeah.'' The man nodded slightly as walked towards us. He gazed down on me with calm eyes. ''You seem to be recovering well.''
I nodded quietly at him. He did the same as me. ''That's good.'' He replied, his face showing a different answer than his words. ''My name is Emiya Kiritsugu and this is my wife Irisviel von Einzbern.''
''Yahoo~'' the woman waved at me cheerfully.
''I know you are still recovering, but we wanted to see if you're getting better personally.'' He explained to me. '''Since we have done that, we will be on our way.''
He turned around and began walking.
Wait...
''Already Kiritsugu?'' Irisviel pouted. ''But we just got here.''
''The boy needs his rest, and is still recovering. We can visit him again some other time.'' He stated rather coldly.
No... Don't go just yet. Come on, say it before he leaves.
My fists tightened. ''W-Wait!'' I managed to stutter, this got his attention and he turned around to look at me. ''Y-You were the one that saved me that night, right?''
He didn't answer, just nodded. At least I know that everything I recalled wasn't just a dream or some hallucination. If that is true then there is something I have to tell him. I lowered my head in front of him. ''Thank you for saving my life.'' I told him as I stared down at my hands.
Silence.
He didn't say anything. I looked up at him and was confused by the look on his face. He was looking at me rather oddly, his calm and impartial facial expression didn't change but his eyes were slightly wider, his mouth was also opened a little. It was such a strange expression he had.
''You are welcome.'' For a few moments his eyes softened, a small smile appeared on his face. I never saw a smile like that, it seemed like a tired smile, but he seemed genuinely happy none the less.
I suddenly felt a strange sensation. I looked at the woman and she was staring at me in a very weird way. ''I-Is something wrong?'' I asked a bit confused.
She didn't waste any time and grabbed my face, pulling it closer to hers. She tilted her head to the side. ''Weird. You have Japanese features, but your hair and eyes don't look Japanese. Kiritsugu, do you think he has Scottish roots?'' She muttered as she traced her fingers through my hair. I could hear her husband sigh in the background.
She was too close!
I managed to back up a little and make some space between us; this made her look shaken by my action, sighing shortly after. ''Oops, sorry.'' She laughed awkwardly. ''I guess you got scared by a strange lady like me.'' She laughed awkwardly as she averted her red orbs, staring at the floor somewhat sadly.
''N-No, it's not like that.'' I admitted as I gripped the sheets of my bed with my hands. ''I-It's just... It feels a little embarrassing being so close to someone so pretty.'' I told her honestly.
She looked at me with a blank stare. She blinked once, than twice, before she let out a chuckle that somehow made me feel a chill go down my spine. Before I knew it, she grabbed me and hugged me in the tightest hug that I ever felt. I couldn't see her face due to the fact that she buried my head into her pleasantly soft chest, but something tells me she was very happy judging by the way she was humming.
''Iri, he can't breathe.'' Emiya-san commented, he was right though, it's a bit hard to breath surrounded like this even if it feels nice.
''Kiritsugu.'' Irisviel-san began, her voice sounded very sweet, yet for some reason it scared the living daylights out of me. ''We're keeping him.'' She declared as if she was instating a new law.
I couldn't see Emiya-san's face, but somehow I could tell that his face was no longer stoic. ''Iri, we can't just-''
''We're keeping him.''
''Iri, this isn't-''
''We. Are. Keeping. Him.''
''...Yes dear.''
This was the first time I met my new family.
Darkness.
Nothing but a void of darkness wherever I looked.
I tried to look at my hands, but they were missing. Not just them, but I couldn't see or feel any part of my body.
I don't know how long I've been here.
Was it just a few minutes?
Or was it actually a few hours?
I don't know. This place I am currently in ruins any sense of time one could have. Just how long will I be here? Also... how did I even get here in the first place?
Ba~ Bump!
I suddenly felt something. It was a strong pounding, like a heartbeat. I could feel it getting stronger by the second.
I could now see something up ahead in the darkness of the void.
Light. Azure blue light was what I saw in this sea of darkness. I'm not sure if this is what people meant by the light at the end of the tunnel, but I would rather take my chances than remain in this place.
I approached the light source, which was rather weird since I couldn't feel my body, I didn't even know if I'm actually walking or floating as I kept moving towards it.
When I was a few steps away from the source I could somewhat tell what it was. There were three small spheres that were floating in the air, illuminating the darkness of this world.
This light... it feels so warm, as if it's calling me. I thought of extending my hand to touch the source. In that moment, the spheres shot themselves towards me.
Normally I would have panicked, but I somehow felt that I needed to let the sphere's do what they need to do. The spheres entered my body, filling it body with their light, giving me strength and life.
As the light was filling me, my body began to slowly reappear. Such a foreign feeling yet it feels so... so... so painful!
I grab my chest as I felt it ripping itself apart, a sensation akin to metal claw eviscerating a chunk of my flesh. The pain was so intense that my eyes closed and cringed from the agony of it.
The pain came at me like a series of waves. It would sometimes be high, and other times be low. It was only when it finally subsided enough that I was able to crack open my eyes and see what was surrounding me.
Swords.
My eyes danced around in my head as I tried to comprehend where I was.
Swords.
I was in the middle of what I could only call a desolate waste land.
Swords.
There was nothing here. No grass, no rocks, no rivers, no trees, and not even the sun could be seen from the smog that was filling the sky.
Swords.
There was no sign of any kind of life. There was just...
Infinite Swords.
Swords and many other countless weapons were stabbed in the ground. Weapons so majestic and beautiful, enough to give one pause, and yet for some reason appear so sad. Weapons that had no one to use them, the way they just stood there without a purpose... the way they looked… like gravestones.
I'm not sure, but it shouldn't be natural for a land to look like this. I think that I once read that war, pollution, and human expansion can turn the most beautiful of places into wastelands. Just what could have happened for the area I was in to end up like this?!
I turned and looked to the distance. I couldn't tell why exactly, but I was drawn to it.
A hill.
My body began moving on its own, its destination the summit of that hill. I don't know why but I felt that there is something there, something that I needed to see no matter what.
The distance was quite long but I didn't get bored as I had quite a lot of weapons to look at on the way there. As I got near the base of the hill my eyes went wide as I saw the sky.
Gears.
Giant metal gears spinning slowly in the sky. Like the mechanism of a machine. A machine with a single purpose.
Just where am I?
As I was getting closer to the summit of the hill, I could see a figure at the top. From where I stood it looked like a person.
When I was just few meters from it, the moment I got a better look at him, my heart stopped.
It was a man sitting with his back towards me, his gaze watching over the landscape of this land. He was taller than me, with tanned skin and white hair. He seemed to be dressed in some kind of red mantle or overcoat. But the thing that truly shook me to my very core was what was sticking out of his body...
Swords.
So many swords were stabbed all throughout his body. Was this man even alive?
Ba~ Bump!
Again... The pain from before is back, even worse than last time. As I trembled in pain, I looked at the man's head. He slowly turned it around to stare at me. I saw the left side of his face.
Steel.
That was all I can see in his eyes. Grey like steel possessing a sharp gaze like those of a hawk. The moment gold met grey I felt something break inside me.
Before I could even realize, one of the azure spheres that entered my body earlier reappeared and flew towards the man. Instinctively I extended my right arm to grab it trying to catch it.
But it flew right through my hand.
As I saw the sphere fly away, I felt multiple stabbing pains in my right hand.
Snap.
I heard a sound coming from my hand.
Snap. Snap.
Blades.
Snap. Snap. Snap.
There were blades erupting out of my arm. They were spreading fast from my forearm, to my shoulder, and to my neck.
Snap. Snap. Snap. Snap.
''No!'' My arm was already a mass of blades. It was reaching towards my face. ''Please stop! ''
I could feel the inside of my mouth turn to steel. ''No, no, no, no, NO!''
I screamed as the flesh of my body became a body of blades.
''Gahhh!'' I gasped as my eyes snapped open, my body shifted up, trembling from shock. I looked around myself and recognized where I was. I was in my room, or more precisely in my bed.
After confirming where I was I checked myself out, noticing some cold sweat across my body but otherwise fine.
''Just a dream...'' I sighed tiredly to myself as I began running my hand through my hair. Just a dream... or maybe I should say half a dream, as the first part of it was in fact a memory.
Ten years... it's been ten years since the incident and my adoption into this family. Time sure flies fast, yet it sometimes feels like nothing really changed during these ten years. Now that I think about it everyone is pretty much the same. Dad is away most of the time with work, Iri is still as quirky as always, Sella is as strict as ever, Liz is always laid-back and lazy like the first day I met her, Illya and Miyu are as affectionately clingy as they always are, and even aunt Maiya is unchanged.
Well, I'm not saying that it's necessary or important to change, but I can't help but wonder if people ever change. I keep wondering about this because I still hope that I may change one day. I will one day find something to give me some sense of self or goal in my life.
I've been worrying and wondering about it for a long time... and yet I still haven't found a clue to the answer that I seek. While I can't say that I hate or don't enjoy my life, I just feel that there is something missing in it... something to make it feel more fulfilling.
All that aside... just what was that last part of my dream?
That empty and desolate hill, filled with nothing but swords.
Swords so beautiful and awe-inspiring yet stood looking like grave stones with the way they were planted in the earth. It was a really odd sight, but what truly disturbed me was what happened to my body at the end of the dream. I took a look at my right hand and let out a tired sigh. What am I even worrying for?
It's not like blades can just erupt from my body like it did in my dream... But still... it was very terrifying to see it happen and experience even if it was only a dream.
Now that I think about it, I didn't even realize how truly drenched in cold sweat my body was. Guess it was more disturbing then I gave it credit for.
I took care of my sweat drenched shirt and made my way to the bathroom, I felt that I could really use a shower.
I made my way over and quietly entered the room. Inside, I was greeted by the form of a woman. It's Sella, my caretaker... who was apparently sitting in front of the sink... wearing only a towel around her slender body, which seemed to glisten from the droplets of water that were on her.
Oh shit.
My mouth almost hit the floor from how much it was hanging. Sella's face went red, which was really accentuated considering how fair her skin is.
I tried to think of a way to apologize before I got my head bashed into a wall... again... by my rather prone to violence caretaker. ''M-Morning S-Sella...'' I muttered, my voice sounded a bit cracked and embarrassed. Of course...me being me, I ended up saying something else then what I thought I should.
Wait!
Why do I feel like this happened before?
Is this what people mean when they talk about feeling a sense of Déjà Vu?
Wait a moment! This isn't the time for this! I'm about to get my head bashed into the wall!
I closed my eyes and braced myself for an incoming impact but... weird... I'm not feeling anything. I cracked one of my eyes open and looked at Sella. When I saw her I was speechless, she just stood still and stared at me, her body trembling slightly, but her face didn't show any sign of anger.
I don't know what's going on, but this definitely has never happened before, there must be something wrong with Sella. ''Are you ok Sella?'' I asked, my voice trembled a little as I tried to keep my eyes looked onto hers and not let them drift to... other places.
I didn't know how long I stood there, because the next thing that I registered was Sella jumping towards me. ''Shirou!'' I heard her shout my name, but there wasn't any rage in her voice, rather she sounded happy.
The moment she tackled me, I ended up crashing into the nearby wall. The impact must have been pretty rough since I heard some of the shampoo bottles on the nearby shelf fall down.
I frowned, I think I hit my head against something. I opened my eyes to complain about what's going on, but my mouth froze when I saw Sella's face. There were tears in her eyes. ''I'm sorry...'' she muttered with a shaken voice, her embrace became very tight. ''I'm so sorry...''
Ok... just what the actual hell is going on here?
Did Sella hit her head or something? What is she crying and apologizing for?
This whole situation is really weird. Even though she is the one apologizing, I'm the one who is probably feeling the most awkward here. Also... I feel like I'm forgetting something very important.
''Sella what happened?!'' I turned my head to the door as someone slapped it open... it was then a small girl that many could claim as a miniature version of Irisviel showed up. She is the spitting image of her mother, possessing the same white hair and red eyes, the only visible difference one could see between them besides the age gap was the grown bangs the girl had with her hair. Her name is Illyasviel von Einzbern, or Illya for short by her friends and family, my cute little sister.
The moment she saw me, her jaw seemed to drop down and hang open, shortly after her eyes began to roll back in her head till I could only see their whites. This was honestly an incredibly disturbing image for me.
''Illya is something wron-'' another person froze as she entered the bathroom. It was a girl the same age and size as Illya, with shoulder length black hair and golden eyes like my own. It's Miyu, Aunt Maiya's adoptive daughter, and my unofficial cousin. Her reaction was similar to Illya's, albeit more tamed as she just froze and emotionlessly stared at me like I was some kind of circus attraction.
Ok, just what is wrong with them? Why are they staring at me like that? It's not like I'm doing anything weird or something wron-
...
Oh shit...
Realization suddenly hit me like a mallet over my head as I fully comprehended my current position. I'm currently sitting on the bathroom floor, without a shirt on, and Sella is on top of me wearing nothing except a towel. The towel which somehow has loosened up and looks like it could fall off at any moment.
I think that this image would make any person who saw it believe that we were doing something rather... erotic.
But that's not case!
Man just how the hell can I explain this to them without things breaking out into full blown hysteria?!
I managed to open my mouth in attempt to calm them down before this whole situation escalates any further. ''I-Illya, Miyu t-this isn't what it looks lik-'''
''MAMA!'' Illya screamed as she stormed out of the bathroom, dragging the still shocked frozen Miyu behind her. ''SHIROU IS DOING ECCHI THINGS WITH SELLA IN THE BATHROOM!''
OH COME ON!
I can buy the fact that you won't believe any excuse I would give you, but at least give me the chance to try and explain first!
''WHAT?!'' I could hear my mother's shocked scream all the way from the living room. As ditzy and open minded Iri may be, there's no way she could just stay silent about her son having an affair with one of the family caretakers in the bathroom. Even if everything about Sella and I is just a misunderstanding on Illya's part. I'm sure that Iri is going to be revolted and- ''Good job Shirou! Better give me grandchildren soon. Not many, just four or five. Also remember to lock the door next time.''
...
And just like that, the last fraction of respect I had left for Iri just went down the drain.
I wanted so badly to face palm myself right now, but my hands were kind of stuck under Sella's body at the moment. Speaking of which, Sella has been unusually quiet this whole time. Curiously I looked at her, her face was almost as red as her eyes. Also said eyes were now spinning in circles at a very high speed denoting her extremely flustered state. I tried to think of what to say to Sella and was about to speak.
Everything went dark the next moment.
I opened my eyes and was greeted by the sight of the fan spinning on the ceiling. Weird… last time I checked I was in the bathroom, and now I'm in the living room.
Man my head hurts!
I lifted my body from the couch. My head feels like I've been hit by a freaking rock. Last thing I remember was a stretched out scream and everything went completely black... I think Sella head-butted me. Well I can't really complain, honestly I've been through worse. At least someone was kind enough to put a shirt on me though.
I turned around and saw only red. Red eyes to be exact. Red eyes that were staring intensely at me to be even more exact. ''Oh, hey Liz.'' I greeted the woman that was looking at me like I was some kind of abstract painting. ''Why are you staring at me like that?'' I asked her a bit curious, it's not unusual for her to stare at me without blinking while wearing a perfect poker face, but her stare seems more intense this morning.
''Shirou. We need to talk with you.'' she told, or rather informed me. She got up from the couch and walked towards the kitchen. ''Follow me.''
Ok, something tells me that I won't enjoy this upcoming discussion one bit. I sighed and got up from the couch, only then did I notice that there were two people on the nearby chairs. ''Liz...'' I began, not sure how I am supposed to ask this. ''Why are Illya and Miyu passed out on the chairs?''
Liz looked at me for a few seconds without blinking, then at Illya and Miyu, then back at me. ''Your mother.'' She stated simply... her answer didn't really help me though.
I gave up and followed her, maybe it's in my best interest if I leave it at that and don't dig any deeper.
When I entered the kitchen I was surprised by who was in it. Besides Sella and Iri, there was another person sitting at the table with them.
A woman in her early thirties with chin length black hair and matching black eyes, dressed in a grey sweater and black pants. ''Aunt Maiya?'' I asked confused as I was staring at my aunt, Maiya Hisau.
''It's been a while Shirou.'' She greeted me with her usual sharp stare. A while she says? How long was it this time? Two months? Who knows, I haven't been really keeping track. I gave up doing that a while ago, I mean she and dad are always gone on jobs overseas.
''I didn't know you were returning. Is dad also coming home?'' I asked curiously since they always visit together, much to Iri's annoyance for some reason. Don't know why but they are always arguing with one another like a pair of sisters fighting over a favorite toy.
''I'm afraid Kiritsugu can't return home for a while. Also, I rushed over here when I heard what happened.'' Her tone dropped a little when she said the last part, she also gestured for me to take a seat.
''Did something happen?'' I asked confused as I took a seat at the table. At my question Sella's face seemed to darken, Iri was no longer smiling like she usually does, and even Leysritt seems to be concerned about something.
''Shirou...'' Iri began, her childish tone gone and replaced with a serious one. ''Do you remember the man who attacked you and Sella?''
''The man who-'' My eyes gaped, flashes of the fight I had with that man going through my head. I remembered everything. I could feel my body going colder, sweat forming on my face. ''S-So it was real? Everything that happened was real?!'' I asked, hoping that maybe most of it was a delusion on my part.
''I'm afraid it was all real.'' My mom answered while tilting her head to the side sadly looking at me.
Her answer made my whole body feel like it wanted to break apart. I don't know what's going on with me, but I couldn't keep silent about this. ''T-Then is what that man said true? Is dad really some killer?'' my voice was heavy and cold, my hands were shaking violently, why wouldn't they considering how revolted I was right now.
''Shirou please calm down, this isn't as simple as you thi-'' I smashed my fist in the table as my anger reached its limits.
''The hell I can calm down! I found out that the man I respected and called my father is some kind of criminal! How would you feel if you were in my position?!'' I shouted at her, my tone actually surprising her.
''Shirou, I know you are confused and angry but the situation is much more complicated than you can imagine.'' Iri tried to reason with me, she failed.
''What's so hard to imagine?! Apparently dad has a thing for killing and does it while he is away from home.'' I threw my frustration out on my mom, not keeping track of what I was truly saying.
Slap!
Perhaps it was due to my anger that I didn't even register the incoming hand. My mom just slapped me. This... might just be the first time she actually hit me. There might have been some times when she pinched my cheeks or pulled my ear, but she never slapped me like this before.
It hurts… my face stings very badly as I look at Iri... she was angry. This was also the first time I made my mother this angry.
''It's better that she hit you. Maiya was about to do it and she has stronger hands.'' Liz commented with her usual blank look. That doesn't make my face hurt less you know!
''Shirou.'' She began, her voice was cold and serious, something that I would have normally considered impossible from someone so sweet and ditzy like Iri. ''You have the right to be confused, to be revolted, to be angry, you may even have the right to hate him, but you don't the right to judge Kiritsugu.''
For a moment I thought I was talking to a completely different person. Is this really the same Iri that always teases and embarrasses me?
''... Then tell me. Just what don't I understand?'' I tried to compose myself, shouting at my family wouldn't get me anywhere.
Iri immediately made eye contact with aunt Maiya. The latter nodding her head in agreement. ''Very well.'' She sighed tiredly. ''Shirou, while it's true that your father has taken, and may take the lives of other people in the future, he never did it out of pleasure or an unjustified reason.''
''Unjustified reason?'' I asked confused, just what reason could justify killing?
''Your father is at first sight what many would call a mercenary, but he isn't one because of money or other selfish reasons. He does it in order to make sure that people won't have to go through what he did, whenever Kiritsugu kills a person he kills for the better good.'' She calmly explained to me, but her explanation didn't calm me down at all.
''How could killing be for the better good!?'' I snapped at her, since when does killing people help the world?!
Maiya saw my outburst; she made a wave to me to let her speak. ''Tell me Shirou. If you were forced to watch as a person is about to get injured or even kill a large number of people, would you stop them or let them do it?''
''Of course I would stop them.'' I replied immediately, it goes without saying that I would try to stop the perpetrator, but I don't see the point of the question.
She threw me a sharp stare. ''Then would you be prepared to kill them?''
Her question stunned me. ''W-What?''
''If the only way to save everyone is to kill the man or woman responsible, would you do it? Would you pull the trigger even if it meant making enemies of that man's family and friends? Could you also live bearing the weight of that person's life on your shoulders? Could you live knowing that the world may very well just view you as a monster?'' she continued to throw in her questions, with each one making the situation feel more difficult. ''It's difficult isn't it? Well this is what Kiritsugu has been facing for many years, and he was even younger than Illya is now when it all began. He would be forced to make harsh decisions, having to kill people in order to make sure that the majority would be safe.''
''If you want to judge him, then you're free to do it.'' Her eyes were locked right onto my own. They seemed calm, but there was also irritation within them. ''But you should at least hear everything from Kiritsugu's mouth before deciding anything.''
I... I...
She is right...
I am letting my feelings blind me. Perhaps it may very well be true that my dad doesn't have a problem taking away a life... but he is still the man that saved me that night. He is still the man that treated me as his son, the person who taught me how to fish, and who carried me all the way to the hospital when I got beat up by group of delinquents. The man who I would spend time on the roof with when Iri and Sella kicked him out of the house for trying to smoke, the person who tried to once help me make breakfast but accidentally set the kitchen on fire, who would take me and Illya to the park when he was home, and he is still... my father.
''You're right...'' I admitted to them, feeling disappointed with myself. I should give Kiritsugu the benefit of the doubt before I try to label him. ''I'm sorry.''
''Good.'' My aunt nodded. ''Now that you are calm you have two options from which to choose from.''
I tilted my head confused. ''Options?''
''You can either learn the whole story and truth about Kiritsugu from us or you can wait for Kiritsugu himself to return and discuss everything with him.'' She explained as she moved a strand of her black hair to her side.
I took a moment and thought about it. While I would very much like to learn everything here and now, I think it would be for the best if I heard everything from Kiritsugu himself. Guess I have no choice. ''... I'll wait.''
''Very well.'' Maiya nodded. ''Now onto our next problem.''
''... There's more?'' I asked with a sigh, this whole situation was already very tiring.
''Of course there's more.'' Sella answered my question, she seemed more bitter than she normally was. ''Shirou do you recall what happen? What that man did to us? But most importantly, do you remember what you did to him?''
Oh bloody hell...
I couldn't resist the sudden realization that hit me and did a perfect face-palm to myself. Man how could I be so stupid!?
I was so upset about the whole thing with Kiritsugu that I actually forgot about my whole fighting the crazy blood wielding psychopath and going all dual sword style on him. ''So...'' I started, not knowing how to ask this without sounding completely insane. ''... Magic is real?''
''Pretty much.'' Liz replied as if she was telling me how the weather is outside.
I decided to seek a more satisfying answer from Sella, she still seemed a little awkward when I looked at her. ''Rather than just say that magic alone is real, it's more precise to say that the mythology and supernatural itself is real.''
Hhhmm...
''What?'' Nope, I don't have a clue what she is talking about.
''It's just as you heard it Shirou, most of supernatural and mythological beings are real. Like vampires, angels, dragons, fallen angels, fairies, devils, werewolves, youkai, and even gods exist.'' Iri elaborated while counting them off on her fingers.
''Seriously?'' I somehow had a hard time believing what she was telling me... I think any normal sane person would have a rough time buying it. ''Ok so what exactly was the guy that attacked me and Sella then?''
I heard a shuffling noise and looked back to Maiya, she was holding a notebook of some kind. ''He was Andrei Neculai nationality Romanian, age thirty five, unmarried, no children, and the seventh head of the Neculai household. Due to his ancestor's strong connections to the vampire society he created a branch of magic based on plasma manipulation. He used a branch of magic which resembles magecraft more than magic, which his descendant Andrei inherited when he was named the new head.'' She paused and flipped to the next page. ''Approximately two years ago his little brother Octavian was attempting to create a ritual that in theory should slow the natural aging rate of a human. For that he required the blood of about fifty newborn infants. Due to the unethical part of his ritual, one of his collaborators had revealed what he was intending to do. In response Kiritsugu Emiya was hired to take him out, which he did.''
She flipped another page. ''His family understood the gravity of his action and pressed no further charges, his brother however demanded the life of the man that killed his brother. No amends of any kind have been made in the name of his brother due to the fact that it was his fault to begin with. Andrei Neculai had vanished shortly after and nothing has been heard of him for the past two years.''
She closed the book and looks seriously at me. ''Any questions?''
Ok... I always thought Maiya is more of the silent type, but seeing her read and talk like that has somewhat made me want to reconsider my opinion about her. The way she read all that and the way she handles everything so strictly and professionally made a single question pop in my mind. ''Are you a spy aunt Maiya?'' I asked her with a straight face. I know that it sounds ridiculous, but at the same time it sounds less ridiculous than the situation I'm currently going through right now.
Everyone present at the table stared at me like I was the metaphorical 'elephant in the room'. Iri and Sella actually started laughing, heck even Liz is smiling. ''Don't be ridiculous Shirou, how could I be a spy?'' She commented with a straight face, of course she isn't, how could I be so stupid. ''I'm an assassin.''
I really need to start observing what's going on around me... I mean dad and Maiya are assassins, who knows what... wait!
I slowly look at Iri, Liz and Sella, I couldn't help but feel awkward asking them. ''Please, don't tell me that you're assassins too?''
''Nope, the three of us are homunculus.'' Leysritt commented, well that's better I guess... I don't have any idea what a homunculus is though.
''That aside Shirou, we have one more little problem on hand.'' Iri told, smiling awkwardly at me while fidgeting her fingers.
I have a bad feeling about this.
''You call something like this little?!'' Maiya asked my mother in a rather flustered tone and annoyed face.
''I'm only trying to break it down to him in a more positive way.'' Iri snarled at the black haired woman.
''Positive way? Just what is positive about this whole situation?'' she returned the snarl to Iri.
''Hey, at least I'm trying to not make too much of drama out of this!'' she yelled at Maiya as she got up from her seat.
''Maybe if you were more careful this wouldn't have happened in the first place!'' she decided to join her game and get up as well while returning her scream.
I could already see sparks flying between the two women.
Oh boy!
I instinctively hid under the table. If there's one thing I don't want to be caught up in it's a cat fight between these two. Last time I did that and tried to mediate it I ended up needing stitches...
''Umm, if this is a bad time I could return later.'' I heard a voice coming from the kitchen door, this wasn't from any of the people that live in this house, yet for some reason it sounded very familiar.
I turned around and saw who it was. My eyes widened exponentially, my mouth hanging a little, wondering what she was doing here. ''Shitori-senpai?'' my voice was slow and confused.
''Good evening Emiya-kun, I see you're feeling better.'' She told me as she stepped in the kitchen, she also bowed respectfully to the others present. When she approached I could see an unusual tenseness in my family's reaction.
Iri sighed and took a step to the side.
''Guess we can continue this outside while she fills him in on what happened after he defeated Andrei.'' Iri walked towards senpai, she placed her hand on her shoulder. ''I'm leaving the rest to you Sona-chan~'' she whispered gently to her side. Senpai seemed to stiffen and lose some color in her skin at that moment.
As if they were called, Liz, Sella and Maiya all got up and followed Iri. Only senpai and I were left in the room. Both of us continued to stare at each other.
...
''You seem rather confused.'' She said to me from the opposite side of the table.
I let out a tired sigh and rested my face on my hand.
''Wow, talk about the understatement of the year. I don't know what's going on, I don't know how you are involved or why you are even here for, and honestly I don't really care anymore. What about you senpai? You were rather pale when my mom talked to you.'' I tried to make a little conversation in an attempt to put some order to my thoughts.
''Oh yes, your mother...'' She seemed to stiffen a little. ''Let's just say our first meeting wasn't on the best of occasions.'' Her voice had an unusual tremble to it, something I never seen with her before.
''What do you mean by that?'' I asked confused, just when did my mom and senpai meet in the first place?
''Tell me. Do you remember how your fight with that magician ended?'' she changed the subject and straightened her glasses, her demeanor was now much more serious.
''How it ended?'' I tilted my head confused. ''Well, I remember incapacitating him, freeing Sella, and then I...'' my eyes widened in shock as I remembered what happened to me at the end. ''I... d-died?'' I asked no one in particular, I quickly checked my chest, there was no scar. Was that really real? No it had to be, Iri and the others confirmed it.
Wait!
''Umm, this might sound completely retarded or crazy, but did you see or hear anything about a devil by any chance?'' I asked while trying to keep the best straight face I could, heck this sounds stupid even to me, but I can't shake the last part that I remembered, the devil touching my face.
She looked at me with a serious expression her eyes not blinking. Guess she doesn't know what to comment to me, we continue to stare at each other, man I sure am stupid to have asked-
Flap!
From her back two black wings appeared, they resemble bat wings. I stared at them for a few moments, a sudden thought screamed in my head, I try to open my mouth to ask her, but no words came out, she saw my reaction and simply nodded her head.
Ok...
What. The. Hell?!
''So you're a devil?'' I asked, something tells me I had a deadpan expression on my face.
''Yes.''
''And you are the one that saved me?''
''Exactly.''
''Ok... out of curiosity. Is Souna Shitori your real name?'' I don't even know why I even asked that, I guess my mind isn't in the best of states right now.
''Yes and no. My real name is Sona Sitri, current heiress of the Sitri clan of the seventy-two pillars of hell.'' She said, or rather presented herself. ''But it would gain unwanted attention if a student was named after a famous devil, so I chose to make an alias.''
''Some alias.'' I commented dryly. ''You just change how your normally write it a little and that's about it.''
She didn't seem to take my remark too well, her glasses shined for a second. ''At least I am trying to keep a low profile, unlike Rias.'' She commented with sigh.
''Rias?'' I tiled my head, what does she have to do with... ''You're kidding me... she's a devil too?''
''Yes, she is also the current heir of the Gremory clan, so I would advise you to treat her respectfully. Oh, and before you ask, yes there are other devils at our school. All the current members of the student council and the Occult research club are devils in fact.''
''G-Good to know.'' I nodded slightly, yet I couldn't stop starring at her. ''Sorry, don't take this the wrong way, but I never expected devils to exist, let alone to look so... human.'' I managed to let the last bit slip out of my mouth, seriously never in my life did I thought that I will have a talk like this.
''Let me guess. You were expecting an evil creature with red skin, horns, claws, fangs, a tail, and a pitch fork, am I right?'' she asked me curiously as she stared at me.
Does she read minds? ''Well... kinda.''
''Common misconception. While there are some devils who sport sharp pointy ears or horns, we in general are identical to humans in appearance.'' She explained.
''Oh, I see.'' I nodded slightly, so devils look like humans, who would have known?
Guess I should get down to business. ''So... what will it be?'' I asked, preparing my resolution.
''Pardon?'' she looked confused at my question.
''You did save my life senpai, so that means that I made a deal with a devil, right? So what do you want in exchange? My heart? My soul?'' I asked very carefully; in most books that I read devils usually demand something outrageous like the persons soul.
She stared at me with a deadpan before sighing. ''A piece of advice Emiya-kun, throw away all of the knowledge you have about devils because most of it is useless.''
''Huh?''
''Devils don't steal or collect souls anymore, nowadays devils make contracts of mutual interest with humans and other creatures in exchange for payment or other advantages.'' Oh, that sounds more reasonable.
''So my soul isn't damned?'' I inquired, maybe there is still some hope for me after all.
''It is actually.'' She corrected, well there goes my hope.
''Didn't you say you didn't want my soul?''
''I did, but you became damned the moment I resurrected you.''
Ok... I took a few moments to digest what she just said. ''...Mind rewinding a little, I think I heard you say something about resurrecting.''
''I did. Emiya-kun, you see you died from that battle. You lost too much blood, and the technique that man used on his magic contained a curse that was preventing normal healing methods from working on you. Due to that you were unfortunately beyond saving.'' She told me, so that explains about the weird pain I was going through when he slashed me, and how I died. But that doesn't explain one thing.
''Ok... so how come I am alive and well right now?'' I asked, I hardly doubt that I am a ghost after all wait... I'm not a zombie am I?!
''Because of this.'' She told me as she pulled out flyer out of her pocket, before my last thought sent me into a full blown panic. I proceeded to look at the paper before me… I knew that flyer.
''Isn't this the flyer that Gremory-senpai gave me?'' I looked curiously at the flyer, something seemed different about. ''No, wait, this one is blue, hers was red.''
''The flyer you received from her was cut in half when that man slashed you with his sword. Her flyer wouldn't have worked.'' She moved her hand to the side, in it was now the book she gave me last time. ''Call it coincidence, but I sometimes use my flyers as book marks, so because I wasn't careful I forgot one of my flyers in the book I lent you. It was because of it, that you summoned me.''
''I see.'' I nodded along in understanding, that's weird normally I have a very bad luck, I guess I was lucky this time. I wonder just how many years' worth of luck I lost from this? ''And just how did you resurrect me exactly?'' I asked somewhat skeptically, just because she explained how she got here doesn't explain how she saved me.
She didn't respond and just waved her hand, a small blue circle appeared in the air. From that circle a small object appeared, I knew what it was. ''A chess piece?''
''This, Emiya-kun, is what we devils call an Evil Piece.'' She gestured to the chess piece.
''Evil piece?'' I asked carefully, maybe I'm being a bit paranoid, but I don't think something with evil in its name is likely to be a very good thing.
''Perhaps a small briefing about devils in general might be necessary.'' She nodded to herself. ''You see Emiya-kun, devils have a very low birth rate, only two or three children in a few centuries are born if the couple is lucky. There was a period when the devil race was dying out and one of most eminent figures, Ajuka Beelzebub created the evil piece system as a way to replenish our race. In short, evil pieces have the ability to convert a living being or even resurrect a recently deceased one turning them into a devil.''
Her last words made the blood in my veins go cold, my hand somehow reached for my face touching it very carefully. ''S-So... I'm a devil?''
She was silent for a few moments, as she stared to the side. ''... I'm not sure.''
''Huh?'' I almost bit my tongue when I heard. I didn't even realize that I jumped out of my seat and slapped my hands on the table. '' What do you mean you're not sure?!''
She sighed tiredly, not affected at all by my little outburst. ''Don't look at me like that, I personally asked all of my other peerage members if they wished to join me. You are the one and only person I resurrected back from the dead.''
''Oh gee, that makes me feel very special.'' I snap at her frustrated at the present situation, she wasn't really making too much sense to me.
''Let's do a simple test then. Try to open your wings.'' She told me with a rather annoyed look, guess I wasn't the only one having a bad day.
Oh well, I could at least humor her but there was one small problem. ''How do I do that?''
''It very simple, you just think about making them appear. Devil wings are like a second pair of limbs.'' She said, making it sound like it similar to flicking your fingers.
I closed my eyes and concentrated. Wings. Wings. Wings. I opened my eyes and looked behind my shoulder. Figures. ''Nothing...''
''Exactly. That's the very point, devil wings sprout out of the back involuntary when one is first converted into a devil, but in your case that didn't happen. In fact there are many reincarnated devils that have a hard time keeping them hidden.'' She sighed. ''That aside, there were also some other unpredictable factors.''
Should I even I ask? ''Such as?''
''I can barely feel any demonic power from you, and that's when I'm concentrating very hard to feel it. Normally with training it's quite easy to learn how to hide it, but it should be impossible for someone to be able to hide it to this extent just after they have been reborn.''
I don't really see the problem here, shouldn't it be a good thing that I could hide it? ''Is it really such a big deal?''
''Of course it is. If you aren't suppressing it yourself then that means that something else is. If that truly is the case, it may cause you trouble in the future.'' she rubbed the bridge of her nose in light frustration.
''Maybe I'm just a weird case.'' I whispered to myself.
''That's for certain.'' She commented, wait how did she hear me? ''While I don't know what exactly, I know for sure that something happened during the resurrection process.''
''Like what?''
She sighed. ''Ok, listen carefully. When Evil pieces are used they have a certain pattern they follow.''
She raised her index finger. ''First. They make sure the body is suitable, by that I mean they heal any major wounds that the corpse has. Also if the corpse is missing anything like its limbs or head, you must first reattach them before using the pieces.''
Guess that explains why that huge wound on my chest is gone. She raised her second finger as she further listed her points. ''Second. Now that the body is usable again, the Evil piece reattaches, or reconnects the soul back to the body. The soul of a being doesn't vanish or disappear the moment its body dies, it will still linger around the corpse for a small amount of time.''
Interesting… I did hear stories that the human soul still lingers around even after its death, maybe that's why some people claimed that certain objects or places were haunted by the soul of a certain person. She continued and raised her ring finger. ''Third. The body is then augmented, it's very structure is changed and enhanced in order for the body to handle demonic energy that will soon fill it.''
Now that she mentions it, my body does feel surprisingly stronger. She now raised her pinkie finger. ''Forth. The body is filled with demonic energy and converts the person into a devil. The person gains the powers and characteristics of a devil.''
So that was how it works. I was expecting something far scarier and more horrifying to be honest. She now raised her thumb and final finger. ''Fifth and final. The person is bound to the master that resurrected them, registering him or her as a member of their respective peerage.''
''Peerage?'' I think she mentioned this word before.
''It's a group of devils, serving under a devil that acts as a King. Each King is allowed a maximum of fifteen servants, as reflected in classic chess, but we can cover this up later.'' She explained. ''Now here is the part that made me realize something went wrong. During the 3rd and 4th steps your body began convulsing and shaking, and the mana in it was leaking everywhere from it. It eventually calmed down and the ritual was finished, but I never heard of something like this ever happening.''
I swallowed a big chunk of air as I listened to her. ''Seriously? So you have no idea what's wrong with me?''
''I'm afraid not.'' She apologized. ''But don't worry, I requested an audience with Ajuka-sama himself. However as one of the leaders of hell, as well as the Chief Advisor for the Technology Department you can imagine that he is a very busy man. So it will be a few weeks until he can see you. If there is someone who can figure out what is wrong it's without a doubt him.''
I made a support on the table using my arms and buried my face into my hands. ''This day keeps getting better and better. I find out that my family's been keeping secrets from me, the supernatural is real, my senpai is a devil, and I'm now some kind of pseudo-devil. What's next? Will the guy I sometimes eat ramen with turn out to be some kind of dragon warrior battle junkie?''
''I highly doubt that would be the case.'' She commented.
''Yeah, that would be ridiculous.'' I let out a dry tired chuckle, as if Vali could ever be something as crazy as that.
For the next few minutes there was a dead silence between us. I looked into her eyes, I noticed they seemed sad.
''I'm sorry.'' She apologized, her eyes were drifting to the side. ''Please believe me Emiya-kun, I never wanted things to turn out like this.''
I didn't like the way her eyes looked, she looked so ashamed. ''Hey it's ok. I may be a little overwhelmed by what's happening, and how fast all of it is going down, but it's not like it's your fault to begin with.''
''It is my fault.'' She whispered in a sad tone. ''This town is territory under my family's jurisdiction; I am responsible for any supernatural activity that happens here. If I was more careful perhaps that man wouldn't have had the time to sneak around. If I would have responded to your call more quickly, or if I carried a healing item, then perhaps there was still a chance to save you.''
Oh man, I don't really like where this is going. ''H-Hey I said its ok, I was the one that wanted to live remember, if there is anyone to blame it's me for fighting recklessly or not calling you in time.''
She smiled at me, though her smile seemed tired and bitter. ''This is why I didn't want to involve you in the supernatural world. You are way to kind Emiya-kun, and the world I live in is much more dangerous and harsher than you can imagine.''
She sighed and rested her head against the chair. ''If I truly wanted to recruit you into my peerage, I would have asked you a long time ago. However, I found myself somehow enjoying our current relationship. A simple friendship between you and I, one of two normal schoolmates without any kind of obligation to one another. It felt rather relaxing just chatting with you, swapping books, and comparing opinions.'' She looked at me, a lonely smile formed on her lips. ''Such a curious feeling. I should be thrilled that I now have such an interesting servant. But I can't help but feel rather bad about it.''
''Can't you cancel this thing, or can't I just walk away if I don't enjoy this situation.'' I tried to somehow cheer her up, even if she is a devil, she is still the girl I spent many afternoons with. This current predicament doesn't change the days I spent of trading books and debating about them with her.
''You can't.'' She told me with a firm serious voice. ''Reincarnated devils need an adjustment period for their new demonic powers. Without a proper king to regulate and maintain their power, the devil may end up consumed by their own power. Becoming twisted by it and then turning into a monster we call a stray devil. A monster that may hurt or even kill his loved ones as well as any person they encounter. If I take into account your unusual circumstances of resurrection, there's no telling what may happen to you if you separate from me.''
I gulped hard, I really didn't want to become some kind of monster. ''I-Is that so? Oh well guess I will just have to settle as your servant.'' I laughed nervously.
''This isn't a laughing matter. Your whole life has now changed.'' She snapped at me, her voice being harsher than before.
''I guess so.'' I admitted as I scratched the back of my head. ''But this is what I asked for remember. I have to take responsibility for my choices.''
''I would have preferred if you had made your choice under less life threatening conditions.'' She sighed and rubbed her temple in frustration.
''So... where does this whole thing lead us?'' I asked, not sure what to say anymore. ''Regardless of whether we like it or not, I am now your servant. So what are we going to do about it?''
''For now I guess it's best to take things slow and teach you about the supernatural.'' She waved her hand to the side and a book soon materialized. ''This is a guide book I wrote a while back. Even though there are many reincarnated devils, no one has ever bothered to write a guide book for newly reincarnated devils.'' She handed me the book. ''Try to study as much as you can from it, it will help you to understand the world you live in now.''
She got up and walked to the middle of the room. ''I must go now. Tomorrow you can meet your new comrades.'' She told me, a blue circle began manifesting under her feet, illuminating the whole room.
No. Wait!
''Senpai!'' I called out to her, I couldn't let her leave like this. She turned around and looked curiously at me. ''I'm really not holding it against you for all of this, so cheer up.'' I tried to reassure her by giving her a smile, while this whole situation made me want to bash my head into a wall, I really can't hate her for it.
She looked at me with an astonished expression, as her body was slowly disappearing into thin air. ''Truly, you are too kind for your own good.'' She whispered gently as she disappeared.
Just like that, she was gone, and so was my smile. I took a moment and buried my face into my palms. Just what kind of messed up turn did my life just take?
So many secrets... so many lies... so many questions... and yet I can't seem to find the strength to face them... at least not at the moment.
My head feels so heavy, too many mind-blowing news delivered in a single day seems to have had quite an effect on me.
I got up, put the book she gave me under my arm and went straight to my room. I ignored Illya and Miyu who just woke up and were complaining of headaches. I also ignored the noise of Iri and Maiya arguing outside like a pair of high school girls.
I crashed down in my bed and let the softness of my pillow envelop my face.
It's been a long and crazy day.
''I agree.''
My body arched up in shock. Who was that?!
After looking around I realized that I was all alone in the room.
Just what is going on?
Did I imagine it?
Was this whole fiasco affecting me more than I believed?
If so... why did the voice seem so familiar?
Just like that... all of my sleepiness was gone. I sighed and opened the book that senpai gave me. Might as well see what I just got myself involved in.
''Basic history. Chapter 1: The First Fall.''
Omake: It's A Real Thing! Taiga Dojo Preview!
''Bwuahahahahaha!'' Taiga laughed her ass off on the floor of the dojo. ''I can't believe this, was I the only one who got trolled and believed that Rias will be Shirou's master?!'' she asked Illya and Miyu who were reading the chapter.
''Guess that's why Ray blurred some words in the last chapter. At least we know why Rias didn't get called.'' Miyu comment as she flipped the page.
''Phew, if he made Rias the master, things would have gotten really bad.'' Illya sighed and wiped the sweat off her forehead.
''Weren't a lot of things left hanging in the air in this chapter with the way they were explained?'' Miyu asked confused, wondering why the author didn't give Kiritsugu's full background and why he didn't give a proper explanation about the supernatural and magecraft.
''Fool.'' Taiga cut the papers Miyu was holding with her cursed shinai. ''A true writer doesn't reveal everything from the start, he slowly reveals things as the story progresses, and increasing the readers curiosity in the process. You could call it 'reader teasing'.'' She declared with a proud face.
''That sounds weird instructor.'' Illya commented.
''Silly girl, you have a long way until you can comprehend true art!'' Taiga commented as she looked at the sky while pointing her shinai to it.
''If comprehending art turns me into you, I would rather stay ignorant.'' Illya commented under her breath.
''What was that?!'' Taiga roared.
''N-Nothing, hahaha.'' Illya laughed nervously, trying to avoid Taiga's wrath.
''Instructor.'' Miyu called out to the shinai wielding woman.
''What's up with those papers?'' Taiga pointed out to the large number of papers that Miyu was holding.
''These are last chapter complaints and rants.'' she explained as she put them in front of Taiga.
''You don't say~'' she growled in annoyance. The next moment she shattered them using her shinai, the cursed weapon purring in satisfaction. ''Don't need any of them!''
''That was harsh instructor.'' Miyu commented.
''The WORLD is harsh!'' Taiga roared.
''Would you look at that, we are out of time!'' Illya said as she looked at the clock.
''What?! But I didn't get the chance to rant about the chapter!'' Taiga roared in anger.
''Stay tuned for the next chapter 'Daily life with devils and mages'!'' Illya and Miyu said in synch.
''Check it out!'' Taiga yelled.
Muahahahahahahha! Did you really believe that I was going to make Shirou the servant of Rias?!
While some of you guessed that he will be Sona's servant, there were way too many who thought I was making him join the Gremory team. Who could blame you, I mean I did write it off so it would seem like Rias would get him. Dude it feels so good to troll people. Now I know why Zelretch loves doing it. Why do you even think I did the **** parts? It was to create confusion.
Anyway I'm honestly surprised on the big number of reviews on the first chapter. Didn't expect even half of them, guess I'm getting popular (lol just kidding).
Now let's read some of the reviews and see what you wrote me.
...
Man talk about complaints... I mean I was expecting some ranting about the fact that I made it look that Shirou became a devil, but honestly I didn't expect that more than half of the reviews I got to be complaints... but I guess I should have expected that.
(Reads more reviews): Seriously? Some of you guys already drop this story from the first chapter just because you thought I made Shirou a devil?... talk about being salty...
But here is an interesting thing, is Shirou really a devil? Just something to chew on while reading the story.
Also, as I said before, this story shares elements from the Prisma Illya verse, but that doesn't mean that they are the same.
I just want you all to remember this small detail, not everything is as it first seems like in this story. So if you guys think you figured out the story and know everything that will happen, well think again, cuz this author is gonna wreck the Fate/DxD crossover section with a lot of crazy shit.
Also I want to get one thing straight. A lot of people that have read Guardian of DxD told me that the story was going really well and all, and that this story won't have the same good path that it had.
Well might as well give you a piece of information about Guardian of DxD, more precisely the ending that I had planned for it. Let's just say you would have nagged at me a lot. Why? Because in the ending of Guardian of DxD, Shirou Emiya was going to die. He was going to sacrifice himself in the final battle, so that humanity, the supernatural, and his friends could live. It was going to be a bitter sweet ending. (No, seriously. This was really going to be the ending of Guardian of DxD, I'm not just making this stuff up)
Special announcement: (insert ta-da-da sound and flashing lights)
I've been thinking of trying to create a more diverse list of weapons Shirou will use in the future, so for that I checked the on Wikipedia for weapons in myth, legend, folklore etc. and I noticed that there are quite a number of interesting weapons.
But the problem is that Noble phantasm have deep symbolic meaning and bond to their owners respective legends, so I can't just go on and create random powers for weapons that there was no way had powers for them to possess like that. Plus I don't really have the time to study weapons history...
So I thought of an idea. Why not make a type of contest?
By that, I mean that any reader could create a noble phantasm that involves a weapon (no non-weapon NP since there's no point as Shirou can't use it) and post a review with it.
Any NP that I found interesting and its power are contained within the Fate/Stay night world, I can choose and use it in my story (don't worry, I will give credit to the creator)
But if anyone wants to write me an NP, there are some conditions they must respect.
1. You must give a description about the said weapon, not just the weapons name.
2. You can't make the weapon too broken or OP. It can have a cool or rather strong power, but give it some kind condition or something that needs to be fulfilled in order for said power to work.
3. I would appreciate if you justified the powers you give the weapon, and give me a small history about it. Also you can use already existing noble phantasm on the Typemoon wiki, but use one that doesn't have a full description about itself or which powers haven't been fully revealed. (ex. Dáinsleif, Durandal, Gram, Harpe, Merodach, or Vajra)
4. You can also create a special attack for the weapon if you want. But like before expand on it. (Like how Gae bolg has two forms:
Gáe Bolg: Barbed Spear that Pierces with Death Anti-Unit
Gáe Bolg: Soaring Spear that Strikes with Death Anti-Army)
P.S. Passive type NP are very welcomed (like Gae Dearg and Gae Buidhe)
To help here is scheme to use:
Name:
Owner: (if the weapon had one)
History/Description:
Effect/Powers:
Type:
Rank:
Range:
Maximum number of targets:
Now let's answer some questions:
-Neema Amiry: I wouldn't say that so quickly if I were you
-Kinunatzs The Eternal: As you read in this chapter, I bitch slapped Rias, like hell she deserves to have Shirou!
-Hunter XZ: I wouldn't worry about the plot. I have an idea for an interesting approach. While the idea will be the same from one point, the story will develop from a different angle. Kind of how the routes in the Visual novel work.
-Gp08: The weak minded part is needed to show his change and growth. Cookie for you, let's just say Shirou will start acting more like him, and reach a mindscape like that of the FSN Shirou. Shirou can never project Ea no matter how strong he is, it's because Ea's materials came from a meteorite that hit the earth. He can never synthesis the materials needed for making it because they no longer exist. It somewhat similar to making him understand something that he doesn't even know that it exist.
-BloodWolf752: While I can't go into details, let's just say that Archer won't be the only servant making an appearance.
-Endless Sorcerer : It's your choice. Though I would call it a hasty one.
-Sion Astal: Seriously?... Dude check Akeno. She was a fallen angel hybrid before getting reincarnated. She literally had holy element (I know that the power she inherited is actually holy lightning, but it is still damn HOLY) flowing in her veins, and it didn't affect her at all when she became a devil. I mean it sounds more illogical to have a devil wielding holy element itself, than a devil wielding a holy sword.
-victimsofrage: Don't be so sure about that.
P.S. I know I haven't specified which Evil piece Shirou is, or how many he consumed, but don't worry it will be revealed next chapter.
So then until next!
Don't forget to review... no seriously review, i could use some constructive criticism.
