Trial by Blades : Chapter 2
As Kiritsugu's burial has finished the Emiya boy and his sister head home.
"Come on Shirou what would Kiri say if you're still crying like that,let's take a rest at home okay, from now on I'll take care of you"Said the still teary-eyed Taiga.
"You know It's more like me taking care of you Fuji-nee, you always ask for food at the house you know."Shirou said, optimism rising and now a smile forming on his face.
"Geez you little, well at least I'm here right Shirou ?"
The talk went on until they reached the Emiya household, where they noticed that there is a foreign shoe on the entrance.
"Looks like we have a visitor, right Fuji-nee ?"
"Uhh yeah, I guess we have, Shirou can you stay here until I identify who our visitor is ?"Fujimura Taiga asked the boy to stay, why shouldn't she ? This shoe is clearly unrecognizeable, from a stranger, a stranger inside the house.
As Taiga was making her way to the leaving room she heard a noise of something, from her intuition this must be the intruder, trusting her guess she ran towards the living room and saw an old man sitting beside the table seeming to wait for someone.
"Eh ?, Who are you ?"Curious, about the intruder's identity and shocked that it was just an old man, but an old man in a suit, who is this person ?
"You must be Taiga Fujimura correct ? Let me introduce myself to stop inducing more confusion.I am Kischur Zelretch Zweinorg, from this day onwards will be one of Emiya Shirou's guardians because Kiritsugu-dono entrusted the boy to me."Confidently said by the Wizard Marshall, and if the persistent girl asked for evidence, let's jusy say he has tricks up his sleeves.
"Uhh hai."Confused, Taiga only agreed, regaining her composure, she asked the old man if he have at least an evidence that can prove that he's a relative of Kiritsugu.
The old man didn't even get bothered by the question and said something to Taiga's ear and made sure it was silent enouhh for no one to hear it, even if they were alone .
"EEEEEHHHHHHHHH"Taiga could only scream as one of her embarassing experiences were revealed that the only ones who were supposed to know about it were only Kiritsugu and her."Damn you Kiri how can I pay you back for this you..."
"Now can you fetch the boy , little girl?"Ordered the Old magus to Taiga who was still embarassed.
"Uhh hai hai I'll get Shirou now"Ran the childish Fujimura.
"What's with youth these days they're so energetic, haha my age must be tolling on me."Thought the Wizard Marshall to himself, a vampire talking about his age, ridiculous right ?
It didn't take long for the girl as it looked like she dragged the boy with her to the living room, and as they arrived, Zelretch stared at the boy, examining him.
"Shirou let me introduce you to Zelretch-san he'll also look after you from now on so say hello."Cheerfully exclaimed by Taiga to the little boy.
"Umm hello Zelretch-jii-san, is jii-san alright? My name is Emiya Shirou, son of Kiritsugu Emiya I hope we get along Zelretch-jii-san."The boy, energetic as always.
Zelretch could only smile in anticipation,"Yes you can call me anything, and I hope we could get along too kid."
Shirou is not sure about who this old man is, he says he was an aqquaintance to Kiritsugu but he still doubt it, and the doubt still lingers there while the old man seemingly hypnotized his older sister to go home.
Not knowing what he should do , he asked the old man, not a normal old man, a magus a question,"Why are you here and who are you really Zelretch-jii-san?"Asked the boy sarcastically.
"You may not know who I am boy, but I know who you are the son of Kiritsugu Emiya, the "Magus Killer" and I know that you'll have a rough ride ahead of I can't tell you yet about who I am but I can tell you who you are, Emiya Shirou and the only thing I'll ask in exchange for my help is for you to be my student. Now do you have enough resolve Hero of Justice ?
Things were happening fast, no saying it was fast is clearly an understatement, a magus is asking him to be his student ? Bracing himself Shirou answered his question.
"No, if you do say I'm a Hero of Justice and to make sure that you're not planning to use me to do evil things, then prove yourself."Nervously, Shirou asked, this magus is asking him to be his student, what if he refuses and the result will be that the old magus would be angry and do evil things to other people, still even if he were to learn about magic but he can only hurt but not save anyone then's there's no point, his promise to Kiritsugu, Kiritsugu's dream he'll definitely achieve it for him.
Zelretch laughed in satisfaction of the boy's mature tone "Hooh you have some nerve kid, you pass. Do not worry, I also despise evil but that doesn't mean that I like goody two shoes like you, try not to annoy me kid. Let's try to get along."
To this statement Shirou lowered his guard and welcomed his new acquaintance,"Then I accept the deal, Zelretch-jii-san, but what do you know about magic anyway, Dad said I'm either talentless or average at other magecraft and the only things that I can do are Structural Grasping, Reinforcement and Projection which he said, aren't even that useful ?"
The old magus calmed the boy down and started explaining,"You are wrong boy, you need not know about me but you should find yourself, there's one more magecraft that you are able to do, it is Altering, the magecraft of customizing components, let's move on, boy tell me how do you study your magecraft ?"
"Ehh, oh right, every night dad makes me do a routine of structural grasping, and reinforcement, he said that projection won't really help me that much so I should study reinforcement and structural grasping more, for 2 years it went on like that."the boy cluelessly said to the old magus.
Zelretch clicked his tongue,because of the time wasted that the boy did not learn the most important application of magic, he has many things to teach this boy after all, not knowing almost anything about the magic world he would guide this new student of his into the mysteries of the boy's capabilities.
Night fell without the two noticing, Shirou's stonach growled and Zelretch gave a laugh.
"Food is essential after all, so Kid you should eat first, then we'll continue."
It would not be a lie to say that Shirou is not happy for the new family member in his life, it would also not be an exaggeration to say that he already got over his father's death.
"Really Kiritsugu, you can rest assured, with Zelretch-jii-san's help I'll achieve your dreams."
Shirou cooked dinner for him, and his new grandfather/teacher figure in his life, and just in case that fuji-nee snaps out of the hypnotism he also prepared food for her too.
As Shirou was putting the food on the table the door at the entrance opened so strong that it produced a sound that can even be heard along the living room.
"SHIROUUUUUU DINNEEEERR"Alas it was Taiga shouted at the entrance declaring her starving state.
Zelretch smiled, quite surprised that a normal woman would snap out of hypnotism just because of hunger,"Really, youth these days, so energetic heh."
The trio ate dinner and it was quite late since Taiga went home and left Shirou to Zelretch's since they were alone now the promise to continue shall be fulfilled.
Zelretch asked Shirou the final question, a question that he knew was infinitely asked to him by another version of his future self and answered already infinite times among the infinite number of universes.
"Can you keep up with me ?"
A/N: YOO what do you guys think ? the story will enter it's first arc now , we startin on Shirou's middle school and yeah I'm hyped as fuck too, wait for chapter 3 you fucks it's coming soon.
P.S. I kinda need a beta because checking for grammatical errors are quite hard without help, so if anyone is interested pm me, thanks in advance.
I don't own fate/stay night all dem rights go to type-moon