The fire crackled before Konan's eyes, tongues of flickering flame casting distorted shadows in the little shelter she and the others had found near the dilapidated village she was regretting they'd ever visited.

Shirou was nowhere around, and only Konan, Nagato, and Yahiko were present and huddled near the fire. Their wet clothes were again hung out to dry on the side, while Chibi was sprawled on his stomach beside Nagato.

Embers drifted up into the air, smoke rising into a thin trail that permeated into the roof; the acrid scent diffusing throughout the enclosed space while the crackling sound of burning wood echoed.

No one was talking, and it wasn't for lack of trying on Yahiko's part. Instead…it was the other two.

Konan's features were deceptively blank while she tended to the flame, but closer inspection would reveal her pinched features. Her pursed lips, tightly gripped hands, and perpetual gloominess were enough to bring anyone down his or her knees.

Then there was Nagato. He was generally silent so it wasn't anything unusual for him to be keeping to himself and Chibi, but he had a hand under his chin as if he was in deep thought. No, he really was in deep thought. The same went for Konan, and Yahiko could only shake his head inwardly at the two.

Honestly the mood was stifling, causing Yahiko to feel antsy and fidget from side to side. He knew it was probably better to be tactful and all, but he was never really one for tact to begin with.

When Yahiko could finally take the silence no longer, he began to ramble in the quiet even if only to abate himself.

"You know," Yahiko wet his lips, knowing that the other two were listening. It was kind of hard not to even if one was trying to pointedly ignore him. "I think the best medicine for you both is to stop brooding?"

"…" Expectedly, there was no answer, but it didn't discourage Yahiko; rather, it only encouraged him to keep talking like the silence was some sort of tacit agreement.

"Like I mean, what are you both thinking so deeply about anyway? We all know that none of us have any solutions, right? Otherwise neither of you would be thinking so deeply about something you can't even help fix?"

By the fire, Konan's lip twitched as she prodded the flame with a stick, a piece of tinder burning into ashes. Without the fire, the night would be too cold, but even then, Yahiko could see that she was just prodding the fire now for the sake of distracting herself.

Meanwhile, Nagato was looking between Yahiko and Konan as if he was the only one who could feel a sense of oppression rising in the air. That, or Yahiko was just too sure of himself to bother feeling it.

Yahiko frowned, reaffirming his thoughts in order to persuade Konan and Nagato from stressing themselves. He continued on unbidden in the tentative silence.

"I mean just think about it? It's understandable if Shirou's the one who's brooding, but do you see him doing it?"

"..."

"No, no he's not. So why are you two?"

"..."

"Hell, Shirou went out to fish for dinner by the nearby river as if he wasn't even worried about all this ever since the afternoon? And then how about you guys? Nagato's one thing cause he's a worrywart, but Konan you haven't spoken at all."

"..."

"Yahiko…" Nagato tried to intervene, but by this point Yahiko was talking for the sake of talking and expressing himself.

If Nagato and Konan wouldn't speak, or wanted him to stop, then let Yahiko speak to himself.

"Like c'mon guys. I think the man's got it handled? We don't have to make everything so depressing."

"...Are you done?" Konan snapped back, her voice clipped. Be that as it may, the subtle nuance in her tone wasn't received properly.

"Actually no, I have a few more things," Yahiko muttered before grinning half-heartedly. "Oh, are you glaring at me? It's the first expression you've made since we left the town. I'll count it as a win."

Konan glowered and turned her attention back to the fire, pulling her knees up to her chest and pretending as if Yahiko didn't exist. Sure she could do this however, but it didn't mean she could filter Yahiko's voice from entering her ears.

"So listen, at this point I can say that I trust Shirou. Is that the same for you guys?"

Nagato tentatively nodded his head, but Konan's lack of response was expected. Whether she trusted Shirou need not be said as she'd been with Shirou longer than Yahiko and Nagato themselves.

"Exactly, right? We trust him. So if Shirou said he has things handled, why brood over it, ri-"

"If you say 'right,' again I'm going to throttle you."

"Sheesh, relax a bit. Shirou wouldn't have said to leave it to him if he didn't have any confiden-"

"You are a dunce," Konan growled, rounding on Yahiko. "You don't think he's just saying that because he wants to shoulder everything himself?" Konan spat, the stick she was using to prod the fire snapping in her grip.

Konan glared at Yahiko.

This time, Yahiko shrunk his neck back at the intensity of Konan's gaze. Rather than intense, it was more due to the emotion behind them. "You're basically saying we can just push everything onto him again and again. How can you be so shameless! What have we done for him, and what has he done for us?"

Nagato winced while looking at Yahiko.

No. Nooo. don't do it.

Nagato knew Yahiko all too well to know that he was a natural air-head.

Yahiko blinked.

"Well…"

"Yahiko," Nagato, warned, shuddering at the sudden drop in temperature.

"Actually I can list a few things," Yahiko began nodding absently. "There's companionship, trust, an-"

Konan's features which were leveled on Yahiko abruptly grew blank, icy; practically daring Yahiko to quibble with her.

You never win arguments with an emotional woman. It was clearly better to just stop while you were ahead and return to the argument once she's calmed down.

Yahiko shut his mouth, grumbling about mood killers while Nagato inwardly thanked Yahiko for having a sense of tact.

Still, Yahiko was unconvinced. Was it too much to just have faith in a friend?

So what if they didn't have a solution to Shirou's problem? What mattered was that they'd be the first to step in and high-tail him out of there if the going got too tough. Fretting over something you have no power over was just digging yourself into depression.

As orphans, Yahiko figured it was common sense not to run yourself into depression at this point, but his optimistic wisdom was evidently not getting through to Konan and Nagato.

Fine. Work yourselves into anxiety. See how he'd be right in the end.

Yahiko crossed his arms, and no longer pestered Konan and Nagato who went back to depressingly sitting around the fire in silence while waiting for Shirou to return with dinner.

Tomorrow would be when they'd head back to that town, and Yahiko figured he'd need to keep his strength up if anything went wrong.

Might as well recover to his optimum condition.

The next day came with haggard features and stress lines on Konan and Nagato's faces, while Yahiko appeared the most refreshed. Bastard had slept like a log much to Konan's annoyance. She had more than resisted the urge to punch his smug face the prior day, but she still had her priorities.

Biting her lower lip, she solemnly trudged up to Shirou who was leading the small group of four plus a dog at the front, and anxiously tugged on his sleeve.

"Shirou, this isn't a good idea. It's still not too late to leave."

The grip Konan had on Shirou's sleeve formed into a fist, gripping onto the fabric like a vice in an attempt to pull him in the opposite direction of where he was heading. This was obviously to no avail. More than even being able to drag Shirou away with her body size, the fabric of his clothes was more likely to tear before anything else.

Giving up, Konan resorted to whining, something she'd never pictured herself doing again ever since being orphaned. "Please, can we not go?"

Konan ignored the snicker that escaped Yahiko's lips at her current display, but at the very least, Konan was content that it had more effect on Shirou than physically pulling on him. His pace naturally slowed down.

Konan saw this as a chance.

"It's dangerous. If we leave now, the town people wouldn't even be able to chase after us with how weak they are," Konan blinked at Shirou, trying to make the best impression of petulance as she could muster to get her way with good reason. "If we get caught in a desperate crowd that big again, we're not getting out as easily a second time…"

"I agree with Konan," Nagato seconded diplomatically from the side. "Chibi, paw."

Panting with his tongue sticking out, Chibi sat on its hind legs and offered a front paw to Nagato's hand.

"See?" Nagato said, a nervous smile on his face. "Even Chibi agrees with us."

Yahiko looked from Nagato to Konan, and instantly deduced what was happening with their shabby excuse for acting.

"Will you two cut it out?" This was so staged. Yahiko turned his chin up, his hands resting on the back of his head, elbows out. "What happened to enthusiasm?"

Konan hissed, tongue like a snake while Nagato sighed, taking Chibi into his arms.

Yahiko remained unperturbed, an easy going grin directed towards Shirou. "You got it handled, right boss?"

"More or less." Shirou admitted, earning a wider smile from Yahiko who then boisterously patted both Konan and Nagato's back, unmindful of how dark Konan's face grew, or how uneasy Nagato seemed.

"Just leave things to me." Shirou nodded, self assured.

Yahiko gave a thumbs up, despite knowing that Konan was cursing him heavily under her breath.

Shirou had to admit it. He could literally see what made the difference between a type of protagonist like Yahiko and the rest. The optimism was infectious which stood out in stark contrast to the realist nature Konan and Nagato were exhibiting.

"He's an idiot, don't listen to him," Konan insisted, kicking Yahiko to the side.

The problem was, if Shirou were being honest about where his inclinations lied, it would be more with Yahiko in this case. He too was of a 'protagonist' type, and no matter how Konan or Nagato tried to convince him, like Yahiko he could be just as stubborn.

"Don't worry. It'll be fine," Shirou chuckled and smiled reassuringly.

Konan did not smile back. Neither did Nagato.

Of course, the way Konan and Nagato regarded Yahiko and Shirou had subtly changed. They were practically blinded by the two's positivity. While Nagato had a trace of admiration, Konan just felt aggrieved. Call it selfish, but if there was a choice between their group and the town people, she'd choose their group in a heart-beat.

With a cloud hanging over her head, Konan had no choice but to trail behind Shirou and the others as they once more entered the vicinity of the dilapidated town from the prior day.

This time, many people recognized them as they passed by.

It could have just been wonder or shock, but honestly, no townsperson actually expected Shirou and the others to come back. No matter how they thought about it, their prior display and actions would have been more than enough to turn anyone away. One look at how cautious Konan and Nagato were acting was enough indication to think as much, but it was different for Shirou.

While Yahiko was absently vigilant, Shirou showed no signs of tension at all and continued onward unbidden.

As they continued to walk, more and more people began to take notice of them and subconsciously began to follow. It hadn't been long, and no one had forgotten that Shirou had left with the intention to somehow help them. The fact that he was back so soon could either mean that he'd given up, or he really did have some method.

Gradually, anticipation began to rise.

Even with weakened bodies, the thought of expectation and hope were enough to drive the group of people onward until Shirou eventually stopped at the central square of the town. All clamoring had stopped at some point, the silence filled only by the noise of falling rain.

Standing at the center of the dilapidated town with no shelter overhead, Shirou, Konan, Yahiko, and Nagato were completely soaked. Their damp hair clung to their foreheads, and their sandaled feet felt slippery with every step. From a distance they looked miserable, but compared to those that surrounded them that were emaciated and on the verge of dying, they were far better off.

It was the same people, the same circumstance, and the same hollow looks present throughout the crowd who'd placed their faith in the person who had felt so aggrieved at their sake.

They had chosen to trust and believe, and this was why they were here, downcast and enduring the cold wind that blew in with the rain.

Konan opened and closed her mouth, but the words that would have insisted they leave quickly failed to escape her lips. Rather, there was a strange inexplicable sort of tension rising through the air that muffled her protests.

Shirou wordlessly extended his arms out towards the crowd, and rotated his hands such that his palms were facing up towards the sky.

Naturally, all eyes shifted to what was being concealed beneath curled fingers that slowly began to open.

Revealed in Shirou's palms were…seeds?

"Is this a joke to you?!"

There was no denying that the crowd was riled. Only a single shout was enough to encompass what everyone was feeling. If you knew what it was like to dangle hope in front of a desperate person, then you'd understand that it was the quickest way to plunge them into despair when that hope is crushed.

Konan grimaced, a pit forming in her stomach while readying herself for any aggressive actions. Yahiko and Nagato were no different, if Yahiko was just a tad bit slower to react than the other two. After all, unlike Konan and Nagato whose attention was trained on the actions of the crowd, Yahiko had been observing Shirou from the beginning.

Goosebumps traveled down the back of Yahiko's neck.

Shirou had never taken the voices yelling at him to heart. Instead, he continued to focus on the skill he purchased for the sake of others.

"Wood Release: Nativity of Flowering Buds," he whispered.

Verdant Chakra began to emit from Shirou's palms and diffuse outward across his entire body as a distinct change propagated around him.

It was moving, heartening, captivating.

The seeds seen on top of Shirou's palms began to magically squirm, violently sprout, then rapidly grow to fruit-bearing maturity.

In his hands was life.

A sea of edible fruit and vegetables began to take root in the ground beneath him; penetrating the earth, the stems that shot up soon climbed upward to create a green canopy who's leaves provided immediate shelter from the rain.

Incomprehensible silence stretched at the scene until the first person desperately scrambled forward, picked up an apple, and stuffed it into his mouth.

"I-It's real," tears trickled down the man's eyes at the sheer amount of food available.

With one man's example, the rest quickly followed while Konan, Yahiko, and Nagato were rendered speechless.

"Stand back," Shirou called out, shifting his attention to an empty lot of land primarily dominated by ruined buildings before clapping his hands onto the ground.

In his means was a future beyond the depressing rain.

Wooden buildings began to spontaneously sprawl out, reshaping the entire structure of the dilapidated village, and providing future shelter.

At this, everyone's attention once more shifted to Shirou who'd fallen to his knees while panting for breath from the exertion.

His only reaction was to smile, unmindful of the way many began to weep in relief.

What he created, what he'd done, it would be carried in the hearts of those who followed him. This new place, this new chance, it was neither a bastion of defense, or some impregnable fortress that other villages may one day theorize in their reports.

No. It was none of that.

What Shirou had built and provided was nothing else than a shelter, a home, and a beginning.

The power of a nation did not lie in its rulers, but solely in the hands of its people.

[Sub-Quest: Establish a Rebel Force]

[Detecting…]

[Evaluating…]

A notification popped up once more in Shirou's fatigued mind.

[Quest Completed]

In helping these people, in turn, their gratitude had spurned them into action.

Yahiko couldn't swallow down his growing excitement.

What these people wanted, what they could envision through someone like Shirou as a leading figure-

[Registering name…]

It was a new dawn to break through the heavy clouds and reveal daybreak to a land bereft of light.

[Akatsuki]

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The Lonely Peak

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