He didn't know since he was walking, but it didn't matter, because every place was the same scenario.
Fire...Fire everywhere...Around him, the people were dying while they were crying because of pain or maybe asking for useless help.
But there weren't any Huntsmen or Huntresses to answer those hopeless requests. No, because of their misery and their fear, the Grimm were answering them.
But those soulless beasts couldn't help to do it: as if it was almost a promise of a banquet for them, they were ready to reach the dying and powerless humans to kill them once and for all.
At that point, the boy, miraculously ignored by the flames and the Grimm, collapsed on his back, and he so remained here while he was watching the fragmented moon of Remnant.
After all, what could he do? Every hope was gone and death was all around him.
So, when he saw a Grimm slowly approaching him with clear intentions, he just closed his eyes waiting for the end.
But what happened immediately after, was different.
He heard a gunshot, and after that, a whimper of pain.
When he opened his eyes, instead of seeing the Grimm ready to kill him, he saw a man with a long trench coat and a smoking gun who was watching him.
That man was smiling.
The scene changed, and he found himself inside an office with a man. That man was a noble or an important person anyway, judging from his rich clothing, the beautiful sword on his hip, and the crown on his head.
But his attention was on all that sword: he had never seen something like that, and it seemed kind of familiar...
At that point, another man entered the room: he seemed very troubled.
"Your Majesty, King Oswald, sadly I bring bad news to you."
"Talk and don't neglect any details"
"His Majesty, Philip Khan of Mistral, had accepted the conditions of His Majesty, John Lackland of Mantle. Mistral will impose the abolition of arts and every other form of self-expression in all Anima, as Mantle did the same thing in Solitas."
"...Not completely unexpected, but it's sad nevertheless...I knew Khan didn't want to lose the economic and commercial benefits of the alliance with Mantle, but I hoped..."
"And now, Your Majesty, what should we do? Our citizens had already expressed a strong distaste for their politics in the past, but now they will be furious. They will want reassurances, and, more than ever, new measures.
"...I will wait for the Vacuo's answer, and in any case, I will try to reason with them about a compromise, when they will come to us."
"If I can tell something, Your Grace, Lackland won't stop anyway."
"...I'm aware of that and my subjects' feeling too, but I'm not going to bring people into a war where they could die if I can avoid it. The Grimm should be our priority, and even if they're fools about their ways, Lackland and Khan know about it too. I hope they can still be reasoned.
"...Very well, Your Majesty...If you think it in this way, it's not my place or role to contradict you...Now, if there aren't other things, I will take my leave..."
The servant exited from the king's office after a slight bow, but, despite every courtesy he could, he showed certain displeasure about his liege's decision.
And Oswald knew it: in his heart, he was aware of those feelings and dangers and he knew, as king, it was his duty to help his subjects. But, in comparison to other people, he knew what was the war, and he didn't want to sacrifice innocent people because of the greed and stupidity of other people.
Then it was a useless war, considering what was the real enemy of humanity on the whole.
An enemy behind everything that was happening now, probably.
"Why shouldn't I think it's your work...Salem!"
And, at that point, the scene changed again finally he saw her: a woman with white skin and hair, and red eyes with black scleras...
He didn't know who she was, but he knew what she was...
DEATH!
Shirou woke up with a jolt. It took a few moments before he understood it was all a dream, and he remembered he was sleeping in his bed, in his room at Beacon Academy with his female three teammates.
But the dream was more vivid than ever, and it left its strain on the auburn-haired boy, who was trying to regain his cool with some deep breaths.
"I thought they stopped...Why those dreams...after all this time...Why now..."
"Shirou, are you alright?", Ruby's voice called him.
Shirou turned to his right: Ruby and Yang, still on their beds and with their pajamas, were watching him with concern on their looks.
"Did...did I wake you up?"
"Yes, you shouted so loud that it would have been hard for us not to wake up." An irritated Weiss showed her presence too, while she peeked from above( she had taken the higher place to sleep when they made the bunk beds).
"I'm... sorry...I didn't have any intention..."
The Weiss' look softened, "It doesn't matter...It's not your fault, after all."
"But you could have slept more time..."
"It's dawn now... we would have woken up within an hour and a half, anyway," Ruby added with comprehension on her face.
"However...Bad dreams, Handsome?" Yang asked him.
Shirou answered after some moments, "Yeah...let's say like this."
"Wow, I knew I'm always in every guy's dreams, but I didn't think I'm so terrifying"
Ruby and Weiss could just groan, considering what Yang just said, but Shirou slightly chuckled: he wasn't so irritated, because after some weeks, he was used to the blonde brawler now, although to some degrees, and he knew this was her attempt to lighten the situation.
"So, what were you dreaming, Shirou?" Curiosity was painted on Ruby's face.
"Ruby, it's inappropriate asking for something like that!" Weiss scolded her team leader.
"But we're teammates, and, if we can help him, I say: bring it on!"
"Yang, despite the intentions, it's still a matter of privacy, and we..."
But Shirou stopped them before they could cause trouble with their discussion, "It was nothing...They were just...Bad memories when I was just a child, if I can say so" Technically he was saying the truth...a part of it, at least.
Ruby asked him, "Maybe something about when your father trained you, in the past?" In the last weeks, Shirou told his teammates about his father's hard training.
The auburn-haired boy felt the need to correct her, "Not exactly, but a part was about him, at least"
Weiss stared at him with her ice blue eyes: it didn't seem she was buying it.
On the contrary, Yang, "Ahhh, I understand this feeling...I had nightmares about dad and uncle Qrow too: it's always such a mess when they come back after a hangover. One time, I remember there was a donkey, a honeybee..."
The heiress stopped her:" Eeehm...There is time and place for such stories, and unfortunately, they are neither nor the other."
"Oh, c'mon. When I ask Yang about that story, dad always said there isn't a need to know it for me!" Ruby was upset.
"After all, Weiss is right: that story isn't just for kids, little sis..."
"Who're you calling 'Mom', Yang!?"
"I'm not a kid. I'm already fifteen!"
"Fifteen isn't enough to be an adult, Ruby."
"Why, on all Remnant, must I be the responsible among us?!
"Well, Weissy, considering your white hair, it's certain you..."
"Girls!" But Shirou had had enough. The girls became finally silent, turning their attention on him.
"While your discussion could be very interesting, it's not so important. So, what do you think if we put everything on behind us and we go to have breakfast, considering we're already awake?"
Weiss and Yang agreed with him, but Ruby stared at him with her silver eyes.
"What is it, Ruby?" Shirou felt slightly uneasy.
"Shirou...if we'll have already breakfast, is it possible..."
The auburn-haired boy sighed and stopped her, "Yeah, I will make your cookies." Since he did the breakfast for team RWSY the first day, and they found out how his cooking was better than the staff's, Yang and Ruby(particularly her, about more sweets), had pestered him about making their meals more often, while Weiss had been more contained, even if she wasn't very against it. Shirou had accepted it, but with the conditions of sometimes for the week( the staff looked at him very wrong during those occasions).
He didn't manage to resist her when she made those eyes.
Ruby was in the seventh heaven, hearing that, but Weiss wasn't so impressed, "Seriously!? Ruby, you're eating too many sweets. You must diversify your diet with more vegetables and fiber. And you, Shirou, shouldn't spoil her rotten!"
"...You're right, but..."
"She's seriously addicted!"
"But, it's just sometimes: it can't be so bad for her..."
"Ah? And what about all those times, when she steals them from the kitchen and she eats them in her bed secretly? Don't they count for you?"
"What? Ruby?!" The leader was mortified with a shy smile, while Shirou and Weiss were watching her with great disapproval in their looks.
"Mom, Dad, I'm sorry, but I must tell you something..." Yang interrupted them, while she was near the door.
"What?" They said together.
"The shower is mine!" She proclaimed, then she exited quickly from the door.
"Yaaaang, we had established the turns for each other!" Ruby cried while she was chasing her sister.
In the room, Shirou and Weiss remained alone, while watching each other. In the end, the auburn-haired boy broke the silence.
"What do you think, if we..."
"How do you take your coffee?"
Shirou was amazed by the question itself and the moment in which it was done, "..Ehmm, usually I don't take..."
"Answer the question."
He couldn't help but comply with her, "Black, without sugar!"
Weiss sighed, "Don't move." And she went to her upper bed before she appeared again with a mug full of coffee.
"Here." She said while she was extending it to him.
Shirou took it, and he drank it, "It's delicious. I'm not a coffee type, but I can say it's really good." He wasn't lying.
Weiss was happy to hear it, "Thank you, it's coming from my personal stock."
"Then, the next time I will make you taste my tea."
"While I'm grateful for such an offer, and without offense, I'm doubtful it could be better than Klein's, my butler."
"No taken, but now I'm more decided to see who is better between the two of us about it."
"Then I'm waiting to see it."
They smiled at each other, then the silence came back for them. So, after some moments, it was Weiss' turn to break it, "Shirou, despite what Yang and Ruby could think, I believe there should be some limits between us, and we shouldn't cross them without permission. So, if you don't want to talk about what crosses your mind, I can understand it"
Shirou understood Weiss understood he had been not true about what was troubling before, but he appreciated her tact, "Thank you, Weiss."
"But...If you feel it's too much, and...if you want to talk about it, know we're here ready to listen to you. Is it alright for you?"
Before such a request, and considering Weiss would have never done him for him at the start of the year, the Huntsman-in-training could just accept it:" Yeah, of course."
"Thank you, and now I think we should reach Ruby and Yang, before those two kill each other...and besides, it's my turn for the shower!"
Shirou could just follow Weiss, while they went to the showers to reach Ruby and Yang, but he could just think about what Weiss asked him before.
While he appreciated her offer, he was doubtful he could talk about those...visions, for the lack of better terms.
While some of them were certainly memories of his past, the others weren't. They weren't even simple dreams, because they were too detailed to be ones.
Shirou didn't know he would have been able to talk about them to his teammates, but how could he do it, if he wasn't able to tell what they were in the first place?
After some weeks, it could be said the students were now used to their new life rhythm since they had come to Beacon Academy. After all, the routine was simple: waking up, having breakfast, attending lessons, having lunch, attending other lessons, having dinner, going to sleep...And it was the same thing for the next few days, until the weekend. Even the lessons, after the "impacts" of the first days, became more bearable to them. But while the lessons of teachers like Port or Oobleck were still very boring, it couldn't be said for Glynda Goodwitch, deputy headmaster and teacher of Combat Practice. She was stern and sharp, but her lessons were surely more interesting than her colleagues': after all, as the name said, they were practical and not theoretical. Every time, after a brief introduction, some students were called to fight each other one-on-one, naturally under supervision to avoid serious injuries. Surely, it was the lesson more loved by the students, and the same professor Goodwitch was esteemed by them.
So it was quite a surprise for the students already in their seats, when another teacher, a man this time, entered the classroom instead of the deputy headmaster. He wasn't certainly a stranger: he was the same teacher attending the opening ceremony and the initiation some weeks ago together with Goodwitch and Ozpin.
But Ruby and the other girls were surprised like the others, Shirou was more troubled actually: despite it could be just an impression, it seemed more times to him that the unknown teacher was interested in him...and not in good ways.
"Who in Remnant is?"
Almost as if he wanted to answer that unexpressed question and the frantic grumbles of the students, the teacher spoke for the first time.
"Good morning to you every one. While surely you had already seen me in the past weeks, it's a pleasure to meet you officially for the first time, anyway. I'm professor Kirei Kotomine, and, starting this year, I will hold the position of Teacher's Assistant for professor Goodwitch. So I will cover the lessons sometimes, according to the programs. So, please, take care of me."
Despite the friendly words and the smile without any hostility, Shirou felt the air very heavy: instinctively, he felt the need to put himself in a rear seat.
"However, despite you already started and what professor Goodwitch could think, it's my wish to address you about something really important to know for you..."
"Why, according to you, do you fight against each other during these lessons?"
The atmosphere changed suddenly: the students didn't expect the such question. A female student tried shyly to answer him, "Because... to learn how to fight."
"An obvious answer, but why against each other?"
There was silence now, but it was clear he didn't expect an answer because he spoke quickly after.
"The answer is...to fight the most dangerous monsters on all Remnant...Ourselves"
The students were clearly troubled hearing that, but Shirou felt now a chill on his back.
Ruby raised her hand reluctantly, "What...what do you mean, Professor? Aren't the Grimm the real enemy?"
"Ruby Rose, I suppose? Well Ms. Rose, while the Huntsmen's role could be killing the Grimm on paper, it's a given that the humans had walked side by side with the Grimm since Remnant's creation. And it will be like that, until the end of everything: you can't change it, despite what you think and what you believe."
"Besides while many of you could see the Grimm as dangerous beasts to kill, because of their ferocious attitude against humans and Faunus alike, you had to consider it's their nature, however. There aren't evil or sadism in their actions: they just obey their nature, as every creature in the world does."
"Instead we, the men, are the true monsters, and don't try to deny it, because out there there are thieves, assassins, terrorists, ready to hurt their own kind whatever the reasons! The history demonstrated we humans kill each other, more than the Grimm could do it."
"The men are nothing more than a mix of seven impulses: pride, envy, lust, greed, gluttony, wrath, and sloth. Only a few humans can control them, while the rest are potentially more dangerous than the Grimm"
He left to hover over the words just a little before concluding.
"So in short, consider this when you will be Huntsmen in four years, but even before: you will fight, and even kill humans, when it will be the moment. Remember this."
If his words weren't uncomfortable enough, then the smile with which he gave them completed the whole: the students were very upset. Weiss, Yang, and Ruby didn't like what they heard, but Shirou was even more distressed.
He didn't like that teacher since the first time, and his ways and his smile were more reasons. But what troubled him was the fact that he said the same things of his old man.
"At the end of the day, the Grimm are drawn by the humans' negative feelings, like hate and contempt between each other. So, knowing that, aren't the humans the real danger, Shirou?"
Shirou didn't forget what Kiritsugu said to him, especially after that time years ago, when they stumbled across that tribe...
The auburn-haired boy shook quickly his head: he didn't want to think about that episode at that moment. So, despite he didn't like Kotomine so much, he tried to focus on the lesson.
"But I'm digressing too much. So, without further delay, it's better to start the duels. So, what about..."
He called the first couple of students for the duel. In his defense, without counting the first impression, it could be said he was very competent: he was perceptive enough to notice every possible flaw in the combat style of the students, and he was always ready to give them good advice about how to fix them. After all, Shirou could understand how someone like him could be Teacher's Assistant for professor Goodwitch.
But when he called the last duel, he was finally convinced there was something very wrong about him...
"Cardin Winchester of Team CRDL, and Jaune Arc of Team JNPR, please, step forward!"
When they heard the names of the two last participants, the team RWSY found themselves very tense, like the rest of the team JNPR. After the shared experience with death during the initiation, the two teams forged a strong friendship bond, so they were aware of what happened to each other.
Like, for example, the fact that Cardin had picked on Jaune since the first week, and, for some reason, the blond boy didn't react to that nastiness.
So, Shirou, like the other, was naturally concerned when he saw Jaune and Cardin climbing into the small arena and readying themselves for the fight.
Maybe it would have been a good chance for Jaune for...
No, it was just like they feared.
Since the start of the duel, Cardin had dominated it with his mace, the Executioner, while the poor Jaune, despite he put every strength with his sword and shield, Crocea Mors, was completely outmatched. But what was very concerning was the sadism with which Cardin was fighting: it seemed like a game for him, while Jaune's Aura was quickly depleted by every hit of his adversary.
At some point, Shirou looked at Kotomine: as a teacher, he would have called off the duel, because of the clear superiority of one of the two contenders. But what he saw was shocking to him: the teacher was staring at Jaune with great attention, and, while the blonde was more and more dominated, a grin was painting on his face by the seconds.
An ugly grin.
Shirou had a very bad sensation: he had to do something...
"This is the part where you..." But the words died in Cardin Winchester's throat, while he was trying to hit Jaune on the ground, because a dagger flew too near to his nose, before sticking on the wall and disappearing after that.
The lights came back, and every amazed student in the classroom saw the responsible: it had been Shirou who had thrown the dagger, created by his Semblance, against Cardin, because he was standing as if he had launched something.
On the contrary, Kotomine didn't seem very fazed, "Mr, Emiya, could I know the meaning of this?", He asked the auburn-haired boy with a neutral voice.
Shirou replied with a decided voice, "Professor, Jaune is defeated, as his depleted Aura levels show. Winchester had already won, and yet he didn't show any sign to stop himself. If nothing else, I would have asked you, why did you not stop the duel, considering the gap between the two and the clear result?" His defiant question was welcomed by approval's grumbles by his team and team JNPR alike, despite what he had done.
Kotomine answered him with a bored voice, "Well, I thought, despite everything, he could do a comeback, considering his past exploits before coming to Beacon. But evidently, I was wrong. The next time, I will lessen my expectations." Hearing that, Jaune was distraught, "Now, if there's nothing else..."
"That asshole could kill me!" Cardin was furious.
"But he didn't do it, as it wasn't his intention on the other hand, and in fact, I can just praise such level of control at this young age. On the other part, Mr. Winchester, you should know that rarely the fights are one-by-one and there could be unforeseen circumstances every time. If nothing else, you should thank Mr. Emiya for this precious lesson."
"What you have just seen could be a good teaching for everyone here. After all, the Vytal Festival is only a few months away, and only the best are permitted to take part in it. So, those of you who are interested in it should be enough prepared for it by then! "
"Now. if there is nothing else, I believe the lesson is finished now."
Almost as if emphasizing his words, the bell rang to signal the end of the lesson, so the class was dismissed.
While the students walked away from the class, Cardin could just stare at Shirou with barely contained anger. On his part, Shirou refused to look away and he watched him with a neutral look: Cardin Winchester was just a pathetic bully.
Personally, even if he didn't know why, he felt Kirei Kotomine was the real danger.
For the teams RWSY and JNPR, lunch, like every meal, was usually a pleasant occasion to congregate together and speak to each other about various subjects like lessons, stories, hobbies, and other things(despite Shirou usually tried his best to ignore the dirty looks from the kitchen' staff: they didn't forget his intrusions on their place). But considering what Professor Kotomine had said and what happened during the lesson, some of them weren't in the mood to enjoy the meals...It wasn't the case for Nora Valkyrie who was telling them an improbable story about some Ursai, and Shirou doubted her bubbling personality could be affected by someone or something.
"But they were no match...And in the end, Ren and I took them down and made a boatload of Lien selling Ursa skin rugs!"
"She's been having this recurring dream for nearly a month now" Her frustrated partner, Lie Ren, said to them, after a sigh.
Despite the bad thoughts, Shirou found himself smiling, not because of the story itself( it was absurd and full of holes, after all), but because of the dynamics between the two.
From what he learned about them, Nora and Ren were from the same village in Anima and were childhood friends, in addition to being partners in the team JNPR. They couldn't be more different from each other: she was a chatterbox and a ball of energy, while he was quiet and thoughtful. And yet they could complement each other and act like one consequently.
"I wonder if I will reach such a level of partnership with Weiss with time too, but..."
Said partner was completely disinterested in Nora's story, in comparison with Yang who was invested in it. Instead like Shirou, even Ruby seemed to be troubled.
The Huntsman-in-training suspected what was in Ruby's mind, so he turned to the short reaper, "Ruby, are you all right?"
Ruby was startled at the start, but she quickly answered him, "Yeah...I'm...I'm fine...It's just..."
"Are you thinking again about what happened during the lesson?"
Ruby nodded shyly, "It's just...Shirou, according to you, is it true what professor Kotomine told us? About the humans and that we'll be forced to kill some of them when we will graduate?"
"Sadly, yes. It's only a matter of time. After all, I've already done it..."
Shirou was tempted to say the truth to her: he didn't know how to lie, and he didn't believe a lie would have been good for her. But considering the piercing stares of Yang and Weiss at him, he understood it was better...sugarcoat the matter, at least.
"Well...every Huntsmen has their ways and their convictions. What the teacher said could be correct, but it isn't right either. So, Ruby, I'm sure when we will be professional, we will find our ways, without compromising our morals."
Yang and Weiss sent him looking for approvals, and even Ruby seemed a little relieved, "Thank you."
"You're welcome."
But not everyone was taking part in the conversation: the blonde leader of team JNPR seemed to be very absent-minded. Naturally his partner, Pyrrha Nykos was concerned about him consequently.
"Jaune? Are you alright?
The said boy snapped from his trance, and turned back toward them, "Huh,? Oh, yeah! Why?" He asked them, with a hasty tone
Shirou intervened: "Are you still thinking about the duel?" It would have been strange for him if it wasn't like that.
"No, no, it's nothing..."But because of noticing his skeptical expression, "Guys, I'm fine. Seriously! Look!" But sadly Jaune Arc wasn't convincing anybody of them, and in fact, soon a sad look appeared on his face when he noticed Cardin and his team making fun of an unlucky Faunus rabbit girl with long brown hair on another table.
This didn't go unnoticed by the red-haired girl, "Jaune, Cardin's been picking on you since the first week of the school!
But Jaune denied her statement, "Who? Cardin Winchester? Nah...He just likes to mess around! You know, practical jokes!"
Even Ruby, who had joined the new conversation, didn't buy it, "He's a bully."
Jaune scoffed at her, "Oh, please! Name one time he's 'bullied' me."
At that point, everyone talked about many "examples" of Cardin's bullying, but Jaune was continuing to deny it or lessen it. Shirou didn't understand if the blond boy was really sincere about his statements or if maybe he didn't want to worry his friends simply. And when they offered to help him...
"Guys, really, it's fine! Besides, it's not like he's only a jerk to me; he's a jerk to everyone."
Almost as if to prove Jaune's point, the laughing of team CRDN grew in intensity, mixed in with cries of pain. When the team RWSY and JNPR saw the cause, they couldn't help to grimace with disgust: Cardin was tugging one of the rabbit girl's ears, while his team didn't do anything but laugh.
Cardin Winchester was so taken by what he called enjoyment to the expense of that Faunus girl, that he couldn't know what was going to happen to him...
"Had you just seen it? The ears of this animal are real! Oh, man, I would love to play with it all the daAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"
Everyone in the cafeteria saw the same scene with wonder and amazement: Shirou Emiya reached Cardin behind at a frightening speed, and then he grabbed his ears with his hands, he put a knee on his back like a pin, and so he started to pull them with strength, causing great pain to him.
The team RWSY and JNPR were particularly affected by what they were seeing, considering the sudden actions of their teammate and friend respectively, but Shirou couldn't help it.
"Remember, Shirou, it doesn't make any sense to fight willingly certain battles unless it isn't matter of life or death".
Kiritsugu Emiya was a smart man, and his adoptive son had tried to follow that advice, as best he could. But sadly, Shirou Emiya had found that he wasn't able to do it sometimes, just like at that moment.
Until Cardin Winchester did just verbal offenses or heavy pranks as he did with Jaune, the auburn-haired boy could even stop himself from doing something: he wasn't hurting anybody seriously, after all.
But now Cardin graduated to unprovoked violence just for enjoyment, and Shirou had seen just red.
"Leave her alone, or I am going to tear your ears from the head...and maybe you would learn something..." The Huntsman-in-training whispered to the bully.
The pain should have been very great, because Cardin, without any protesting, let the girl go, and she quickly went away.
Shirou let him go too, but sadly the matter wasn't over, because when Cardin turned on his assailant, and he saw who they were, his face became a mask of full hate and his voice was shaking with fury.
"It's already the second time you got in my way! Now you will pay, asshole!" And said that, he tried to punch the auburn-haired. "Trying" was the perfect word, because Shirou dodged it, almost as if it was nothing, and he quickly tripped Cardin up, putting him on the ground.
A wise person would have tried to be cool himself at that point, but Cardin Winchester wasn't one for those who knew him well, and he demonstrated it once again, because, as soon as he got up again, he tried to hit Shirou once more.
On his part, Shirou Emiya wasn't even troubled and he simply limited himself just to dodge his blows, almost as if they were just a little flapping insects. And the more Shirou dodged them, the more Cardin became furious and tried to hit him to no avail.
But the fact he was humiliated by Shirou for two consecutive times wasn't the greatest offense to Cardin Winchester's eyes.
No, what was angering him more, were the silence and the cold indifference on his face, almost as if he wasn't anything to the auburn-haired boy.
And he was right: Cardin Winchester was like another boy from Fuyuki. They were cocky idiots, convinced to be almighty. They couldn't make any fear of him. The Grimm was scary, his father had been scary when he trained him, and the long black-haired masked swordswoman who taught him swordplay was scary...
Cardin wasn't anything to him...
In the meantime, the rest of team CRDN had been amazed by the sequence of the events, but at some points, one of them snapped and shouted to the others.
"C'mon, guys, let's go to help Cardin! That fucker will pay for..." But whatever he meant, he didn't say it, because the fear blocked him: after all, there was nothing scarier than women ready to kill. This was the impression for the three boys of team CRDN, when they saw Ruby Rose, Yang Xiao-Long, Nora Valkyrie, and incredibly Weiss Schnee with a look on their faces, which promised pain.
"Ohhh, do you feel alone? You can dance with us if you want..." Yang said them with a sly voice and a bloody-thirsty grin on her face.
In the while, Cardin continued his useless effort against Shirou, but at that point, he lost any possible sense, and he drew out his Executioner.
"You've made me angry now! You will see the mistake you..." But Cardin Winchester didn't finish his sentence, because Shirou, with an impressive speed, punched him in the jaw. Despite the force being calibrated and the auburn-haired boy had not used his Aura, the bully was affected anyway because that body part was one of its weak points, and so Cardin fell to the ground, and he was unconscious consequently.
Everybody was amazed by what they have seen, and so their stares focused on Shirou. On his part, the golden-eyed boy understood why they looked at him in that way, but he couldn't do anything. Cardin was going to use his Aura and his Semblance, and, while Shirou was sure to manage him, he knew the bully had lost any sense and so he risked hurting someone else: so he didn't have any choice but to knock him out.
But when Shirou tried to speak, to explain himself, a stern female voice shouted.
"What's the meaning of this?!"
It was professor Goodwitch. When she arrived at the place, she just had a look at the scene to make a judgment and act consequently.
"Mr. Emiya! In the headmaster's office! Now!"
But the such decision wasn't right to his friends, "But, Professor, it isn't right..."
"Don't question my decisions, Ms. Rose!"
"But it wasn't his fault. It was Cardin, who..."
"Another word, Ms. Xiao-long! I dare you!"
"But still..."
"It's all right, girls, thank you. It's all right." Shirou interrupted the girls of team RWSY with a smile, then he turned on the teacher, "All right, professor Goodwitch. Lead the way."
"On this way, and someone takes Mr. Winchester to the infirmary!" The teacher said to him with a quieter voice, but equally stern, then she went away, followed by Shirou.
To the students in the mess hall, there wasn't anything else but to contemplate what just happened. A male student said his thoughts aloud, "That Cardin is everything and it's alright, but that Emiya...is really an idiot." And he found agreements to him.
Even Weiss thought like that, "My partner is really an idiot...an altruistic and brave idiot."
On the way to the Ozpin's office, while he was following the deputy headmaster, Shirou was thinking about what to say to justify himself and how to say it. But in the end, he opted to say only the truth, and if Ozpin decided to punish him anyway...
Kiritsugu would have been disappointed by his actions, but Shirou didn't regret them
"I just only did what I thought was right, old man. Nothing else, nothing more..."
And yet there was a little concern in him, when they finally arrived to the door of the office and professor Goodwitch knocked.
"Step inside"
The teacher opened the door, but she motioned for him to enter, while she was keeping the open door.
Shirou entered, while Goodwitch incredibly remained back and she closed the door.
For the auburn-haired boy was surprising finding Kotomine there, standing next to Ozpin.
"Mr. Emiya, please, seat down."
Shirou did what was asked of him, then he spoke to the headmaster, "Professor, I..."
But the headmaster stopped him with a wave of his hand, then he turned to his student with a stern voice, "First of all, Mr. Emiya..."
Shirou held his breath.
Then Ozpin smiled at him, and he asked him with a playful voice, "Cocoa, tea, or coffee?"
At that moment, every thought in Shirou's mind was turned off, "Eh?"